


little light

by pisushka



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: A lot of worldbuilding, Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Cartoony style?, Fairy Tale Style, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mutual Pining, Romance, Witchcraft, come here fellow witches, just having fun
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-13
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:00:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 24,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28037340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pisushka/pseuds/pisushka
Summary: Skeppy ran from his kingdom with a swift of wind, traveling wherever his heart pointed him.He found himself in the deep dark of a mysterious forest, and even though he liked his new freedom, faith had dangers in store for him.When he thought that his adventure was coming to a lethal end, he was saved from exhaustion and horrorby a cute Witcher.Being free - he never expected what it can cause.He never expected to entangle himself in unraveling a long...painful war.He never expected to set the dot on it, gently holding his lover's hand.
Relationships: Zak Ahmed/Darryl Noveschosch
Comments: 64
Kudos: 89





	1. little light led me to you

**Author's Note:**

> Dear readers,
> 
> welcome to my first work on ao3, and my first work written in English in general!  
> i'm not a native speaker, so if the wording sounds weird forgive me :D im a dum little russian.  
> read slowly and enjoy!  
> i do NOT ship irl people, this is just a nice fairy tale i wrote from my own intrest.  
> i`ll delete it if it makes anyone uncomfortable :)

The soft crinkling of leaves was heard at the edge of the forest.  
Beautiful songs of birds slowly faded away, as a young boy stepped into dark woods.  
A gorgeous arch made of black ivy loomed above him, looking down upon his small figure, yet he was not intimidated – walking around barefoot, playfully swinging his pair of boots in his fist.  
Skeppy had escaped from his kingdom on the waning moon, and now the sky was pitch black, taking its time to grow a new moon, dooming the little one to stop his travel.  
The soft crinkling of leaves soothed his wounded feet, cold soil grounded him as he took a moment, standing there, doubting one last time if he should cross this arch.  
He looked back at the landscape he knew so well.  
The walls of his kingdom lay on a hill, shining in the last waves of sunset.  
An orange streak of light lit his lips, he couldn`t help but smile.  
  
\- Goodbye to you too, home.  
He watched his kingdom until it disappeared in the dark and then, with a blow of wind, excitedly ran on with his journey.

He was always good with running and hiding on his small nimble feet, but the world he stepped into was nothing like any adventure he ever had in the safety of his home.  
This land was never explored by humans, the soil was pure, the heavy leaves in the trees were so thick they seemed black, shielding this country.  
There was barely any sunlight, so any creatures that lived here were fighting hard for their survival.  
The roots of the trees were strangling the harsh petrified ground draining the soil, so all the plants lived in the hollows of wood.  
They painted themselves red, contrasting brightly from the vanta-black logs.  
  
He didn`t know where to go because there were no maps of this place, but he was not lost, because he was handled to using his feelings as his compass.  
  
  
Skeppy climbed around fast yet stealthy, peeking into the holes in the wood, examining all of the new mysterious life, journaling on his way.  
  
He was doing pretty good on the first week, he found out that the red leaves made his tongue numb,  
  
so he dug out the fresh roots with his little silver knife and used them as the source of food and water.  
He found out that tiny caves covered with moss were the best places to hide and rest.  
  
Time passed differently in this land too. Unlike the sunlight, the moonlight ruled this place, coating the whole forest with its shimmer overnight, summoning monstrosities, that for now, Skeppy only knew as the grumbles and growls above his hiding places.  
  
Regardless of how hard the survival was in this land, Skeppy was charmed by his travel. Even though his young skin tore and hurt and his way was hidden in mist, at the end of the day he always found a miracle  
to reignite his big brown doe eyes with excitement. He carried around a little leather bag, collecting leaves and flower petals to study and his journal that he called “his little miracles”.  
  
And that was his nature, he was a little hotheaded, yet overall a nice boy.  
  
In all this time he didn`t hesitate on his way, progressing into the deep dark, trusting the little light of hope that was shining in his soul. But something happened, that made him stop on his second week of his race. More precisely – someone.  
Skeppy was jumping up and down the little hills and stones, looking around for a pond to clean his wounds. He knew it was daytime when he could find one, because mysteriously they were always lit by clear beacons of light, coming down from the black leaves.  
  
\- Yes! Oh my god, this day is blessed! - He basically jumped into one of the light-ponds and disappeared in the silky streaks of water. (The ponds were small in width, but deep) He looked down and saw a cave covered with shiny blue vines and little colorful fishes.  
  
  
His laugh rang out like a beautiful song, his puffy brown hair bounced, and his loose cotton clothes danced around in the water.  
It was just him, enjoying this moment, or well, he thought so.  
  
As he was drying himself under the hot sunlight, blinking out crystal drops of water from his long eyelashes, he wondered what he should do next.  
  
A soft blow of wind tinkled. Something crunched in the leaves - a footstep.  
  
Skeppy threw his head at the direction of the sound, his eyes widened, soundlessly he slid back into the pond. He saw a silhouette. Someone was watching.  
It was near another pond. A tall black figure came up there, Skeppy at first thought that it was a deer, because of the tall black antlers on its head.  
  
“What on earth is that?!” Skeppy chased the creature with his eyes. But it just stood there. (Menacingly)  
  
“There is nowhere to run. If I swim up, that thing will end me. But maybe if I hide it will leave? I dunno. It`s here at daytime, I thought monsters were around only at night.  
'Should I…come up closer and observe?'  
The young boy breathed in as much air as he could, puffing his cheeks, and dove down into the depths of the pond. All of the ponds were connected with an underground cave, there was very little space, but thanks to his lean build, Skeppy swam closer to the creature. It was standing absolutely still, and the more Skeppy looked at it, the less air was in his lungs, and the more he felt his chest tighten. He could not see much, because of the blur of water and blinding light, but what he saw, mesmerized him: its arms and legs were covered with black thorns, it was wearing a red cloak and a torn scarf, it`s face was hidden with a hood and the only thing that he could see was a pair of tall black antlers, that looked like naked trees.  
  
One by one, air bubbles came out, so Skeppy swam back to his original pond, and when he got out, the creature disappeared without a trace.  
  
\- What a doochebag…

Skeppy was both fascinated and scared, scribbling gibberish in his journal, rolling around in his moss bed, later. Each day, he invaded more of this sacral land, and he knew that the woods were stirring up a punishment for him.  
But the little light, still shone bright in his heart.  
  
So, he went on, and the creature went on with him.  
  
Wherever he would go, collecting dead bugs, talking to mice, fishing, the dark silhouette always accompanied him, breathed down his neck.  
It followed him on his way step by step, scaring the boy away. Skeppy felt dread. He couldn`t think clear. At that moment he realized how tired he was, how much his feet hurt from wandering.  
  
  
The moon was growing, and more monsters spawned, so one day, Skeppy thought that it would be a good idea to examine the bones of these beasts – to see who he`s dealing with.  
He walked around as usually, crossing the roots of trees and making himself a path through tall grass, when he found something new.  
A trail of golden dust shone by his feet, Skeppy cursed at his own curiosity when his legs decided without him to follow it. It led him to a small basalt hill. There was a skeleton in dark thorny armor, surrounded with black stones.  
The scent of smoke filled the air.  
  
  
“A grave?” Skeppy wondered aimlessly. A haze of nescience blinded his mind. He came up closer, the skull looked strange… He reached for it with his shaky hand, but midair… he noticed the creature in the cloak again!  
  
It was reaching for the skeleton too.  
They haven`t been this close yet.  
Blood froze in Skeppy`s veins for a moment. He looked down at his feet. Blinked a little. “For how long will this bastard mess with me?” a desperate thought ruled in his head.  
Slowly, out of madness, he rose his gaze and in one single look collected all of the strength and power, and pouting his lips he said straight to its face:  
  
\- I know that I`m not welcomed here. But I also know that here, I am as free as I ever could be, so I will make myself welcomed! 

His words echoed all around, it seemed like the forest tried to soak them in. The leaves of the woods looked golden because of the setting sun. Skeppy`s tanned skin glimmered beautifully.  
  
Skeppy burned through this creature with his determined gaze, now that it was up-close, he noticed that it`s spikes shone with metal, and a few knives jingled on its belt. It backed away from the boy – surprised.  
  
The boy was even more surprised at that gesture. His eyebrows flew up his forehead, he let out a few cute confused giggles. Then, he blew up with laughter, shaken by the absurdity of this situation. The creature dropped its shoulders, almost seeming human.  
Skeppy`s young soul radiated with light and cheer, cleansing him from doubt, sharpening his senses. Suddenly, he felt heat, and smoke is there a geyser nearby?!  
Just as suddenly his cheer dropped when he felt a low, gravelly grumble vibrating on his back.  
He shifted his gaze over his shoulder and saw a gigantic wild boar, its eyes were filled with blood, and there was smoke coming out of his big nostrils. It was setting itself to stab the boy with its terrifying tusks. The boy froze, every muscle of his was  
still, only his eyes chaotically looking around. Metal slid on steel with a creaky cry, it sounded like a swift of wind when the creature pulled out a sword. 

This sharp motion cut through Skeppy`s paralysis and he ran on as fast as he could downhill.  
It was nighttime, and the unknown surroundings were raven black. So instead of looking, Skeppy felt, felt everything around him.  
He felt sharp little stones cutting him while he ran,  
he smelt blood on the red vines that slid on his legs like snakes,  
he tasted ash when he tripped down into hot coal, throwing sparks of fire everywhere and he heard growling and cries of metal from his chasers.  
  
The ground shook and vibrated near him, the two monsters were on his tail, so he threw himself up from the ground, and ran on. He trusted his intuition and it let him on.  
  
He thought he escaped when he hid behind scours of black stone, but suddenly he faintly felt a hand on his shoulder and it scared him even more than the chase. He sprang away, as if he was burned.  
But, out of nowhere, the ground disappeared under his feet, and he slipped and fell into abyss.  
  
His little body fell down with a thud. It was as if this noise muted all the chaos around him. Quiet.  
Skeppy`s eyes teared up because of bitter smoke all around him, and he squeezed them shut.  
He felt like a little kid again for a moment – little and dependent. “Was everyone home right about me?” a sad thought came to him, manifesting as a tear.  
It was completely dark, but something tickled his exhausted eyelids. He peeked at it from behind his eyelashes.  
It was a little light orb, glowing with a really gentle yellow color. The boy’s lips curved into a sheepish little smile. Could it be…? Another day will show.

Soft.  
Like a little cloud.  
Skeppy smiled joyfully and stirred a bit, waking up.  
  
Shuffle-shuffle.  
Linen bedsheets. Was he back at the kingdom?  
No, they smelt earthy.  
The duvet cover was pretty, there were sewn in mushrooms and flowers all over. He peeked inside; it was filled with dried moss. He giggled. How silly…  
  
He was warm and numb from sleep. No thought disturbed him. Peace.  
  
His eyes, like little stones of smoky quartz, peeked from the duvet. He looked around lazily. Possibly he was in a dark little dirt hut, possibly not.  
  
A key slid into a lock, it slowly turned around three times, and with a sweet long creek, a door opened.  
The boy felt soft light on his face. Two soles stepped in carefully.  
  
Metal jingled.  
  
Skeppy backed away rashly, jumping out of his sleep. That cursed sound. A tall, dark figure.  
The creature was here again! At once, Skeppy`s whole body buzzed with pain. He winced and grit his teeth, the fire of anger lighting up in his young eyes.  
  
\- What do you want from me!? – He looked at it, interrogatively.  
  
It backed away for a moment. Skeppy hastily analyzed this setting, digging in his head for the best way to escape. Not much happened.  
It moved its hands like it was sculpting something. Skeppy`s muscles tensed; he was counting seconds impatiently.  
Within a second, a familiar little light bloomed in creatures’ hands.  
Like a feather, it softly flew to the boy and landed on his nose, which made it cutely wrinkle.  
He breathed out and the light sphere melted in the air, lighting up the surroundings.  
  
  
\- Huh… Is this...magic? – He still sat with his eyes crossed to his nose, even though the light ball wasn`t there anymore. 

\- Phaw-ha! - A little friendly bark of laughter came from the red hood and shook it down, revealing a handsome young human, but with black antlers standing tall like a crown on his head. A strange unity between earthy and alien. 

Something twinkled in Skeppy`s heart.  
He curiously examined this new boy: silky looking hair, a gentle curve of a face, soft blush on the tips of his ears, and endlessly deep green eyes, that with magical lighting seemed to glimmer. „Pretty...“  
  
The boy offered him a sheepish smile, only glancing at Skeppy. Skeppy hid his giggles in the soft duvet confused but mesmerized:  
\- Are you going to kill me?  
  
He frowned, but his eyes laughed.  
– Have I killed you yet? – he said gently, biting back a smile.  
  
This little joke seemed strangely familiar to them but incredibly foreign at the same time.  
  
\- Weren`t you trying to, … back, in the woods? 

\- No! Of course not! – he burst out suddenly – T-this is a big misunderstanding! I was just…em…scaring you away!

\- You what?! – He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head questioningly. The pain reminded Skeppy of itself, and he hissed through his teeth once more.

\- Oh-my-goodness! - The man rushed up to him, and with a metal cling he set himself on his knees beside the bed. He touched Skeppy`s tense hand with the tips of his fingers. 

\- You shouldn`t move this fast, your muscles, they`re really sensitive right now from all that running yesterday, you might hurt something! – He suggested fond, but firm. The man looked straight at another in the eyes, he was sincere. Skeppy was trying to fight off his charming gaze with doubt. 

\- I-I know I owe you an explanation, but for now, I want to tell you, that I don`t mean harm, and I have y-you in my home because I want to help you. You got hurt because of me. – He looked down, hiding his guilt behind his antlers. 

Even in daylight, Skeppy was lost again, so he asked his heart for advice.  
This new friend seemed to have a light in his heart too, so why not trust it?  
  
\- I would love to untangle this mess. May I start off by finding out your name? – Skeppy rubbed his eyelids, his skin ached.  
  
\- H-halo, - the young man glanced to Skeppy in disbelief of his forgiveness, - but I remember humans calling me bad boy! So, you can call me that! – he giggled happily, now that the boys were on good terms.  
  
\- No one`s called you that ever, Halo – Skeppy playfully wiggled his eyebrows.  
  
\- Well, what about you Mr.?! – He crossed his arms, but his eyes were genuinely curious.  
  
\- Skeppy – he nodded and his wavy hair bounced.  
  
\- Well, hello, Skeppy, - Bad giggled snarkily.  
  
\- Oh, come on! Are you going to bully your guest like that?

Young man stiffened. Then he smiled shyly.  
  
\- I`ll boil you some water, so you wash up, feel free to look around or ask me anything, - He walked out, and with another soft creek walked in, carrying a cauldron.  
  
The water hit the metal with a beautiful sound.  
It soothed Skeppy`s soul. With a muffed thud, he placed it on the stove.  
It was a big intimidating stone furnace, but its master tinkered with it as if it was his old friend.  
Cling! Cling! Cling! Gentle hands knocked flint and steel against each other.  
The soft crackling of a flame was heard. Halo blew at it.

Skeppy looked around.  
It was a tiny, simple dirt hut, with wooden planks hugging it all around.  
Everything around looked handcrafted.  
He was sitting on a bed – soft bed sheets, but harsh wooden bed frame. A small bedside table with little shapes cut into it, a silvery mirror.  
He looked at himself, his face was bruised and his hair was really messy, but his eyes still glimmered brightly.  
A woolen rug tickled his feet.  
Across him was a bookshelf with many journals tied in leather, he even saw a cute pot of quilts, feathers of ornaments he had never seen before. There was a chest huddled underneath.  
Closer to the furnace was a round table, with two chairs beside a tiny window, that was hidden with mossy louvers.  
Everything around was coated with a scent of rosemary and mint, enchanting this home with a feel of security. Skeppy looked up, many herbs and flowers were drying-hanging.  
He laughed quietly. He found it cute. 

Soon, Bad sat down beside him with a bowl of steaming water and handed him a cloth. Skeppy nodded him a little “thank you”, and soaked the cloth. He firmly traced a wet line on his face and instantly yelped and winced in sharp pain.  
  
\- Why does it hurt so mu-uuu-ch? – he threw his head back, giggling to cope with the pain.  
  
\- Because you fell into a basalt cave this night! There’s a lot of salt there, and it`s biting at your wounds. – Young man explained with worry. He was still a bit shy.  
Skeppy tried gently tapping and it didn`t hurt as much.  
He glanced at the mirror once more. Now there were two young boys.  
  
\- So, how did you find me in the woods? – Skeppy asked.  
  
Halo smiled shrewdly, tracing one hand over his chin.  
  
\- It was really simple!  
  
\- How? Did you hear me, … smell me? – The younger boy snickered.  
  
\- I sensed your energy. It was really easy because your soul stands out brightly in this land.  
  
Skeppy raised an eyebrow. He was curious. Could it be…?  
  
\- It felt like a star in the night sky. I knew you were human, so I had to find you.  
  
\- Human? Aren`t you human too? Who are you? – a little drop of water splashed into the bowl, making the perfectly smooth surface riffle.  
  
Halo straightened up. He raised his eyebrow too. Skeppy didn`t feel threatened, on the opposite, they were just bantering.  
  
\- I`ll tell you who I am if you tell me what were you doing in the woods.  
  
Skeppy hesitated for a moment but went with the deal.  
  
\- I escaped my kingdom and decided to explore the woods. – he stated the truth, now looking for answers from his companion.  
Halo stalled a bit, but then leaned in and whispered to Skeppy:  
  
\- I am a witch, and I was exiled from human land, - his breath was warm and ticklish.

\- And you do magic? – Skeppy asked, excited and mesmerized. Halo smiled – he was relieved, that his new friend wasn`t scared of him.  
  
\- It`s a practical hobby. – he laughed knowingly.

\- Was that why you followed me, you didn`t trust me?  
  
\- Well, that was the reason at first… I thought that you were a human nemesis sent to execute me, so I kept an eye on you, but soon I realized that you were just enjoying the woods and that…you were a nice human. So, I was trying to scare you away from the… rough part of this land.  
  
Skeppy nodded, - Were the basalt hills that part?  
  
\- There`s way more. This land…seems infinite, and the farther you go on, the more cruel it is.

Skeppy stayed quiet for a little. All this time he traveled, he didn`t know where to go, didn`t plan ahead, ran carried by the wind.  
“Where was I going?” he asked himself.  
He realized something bitter. His muscles tensed.

\- Hey, you missed a spot. – Soft fingers took him by the hand and gently wiped his face with the cloth.  
Two boys looked at each other, and that look was more introducing than a library of conversations. They smiled.  
  
\- I`ve noticed you journal of the forest life! Did you know that the monster that attacked you last night is called “a hoglin”! – he lifted a finger in the air proudly.  
  
\- Did you name them that? – Skeppy shook his head, unimpressed. – what even happened last night?  
  
\- Sit down at the table, please, I`ll tell you while you eat, - he stood up and swiftly dressed a beige tablecloth. He bustled around his furnace (there was a little cupboard with clay plates and pots there).  
Skeppy sat down, his muscles felt really sore. He smelled some sweet pastry and instantly, he had to hug his stomach to prevent it from growling.

  


The witcher placed a wooden tray on the table. Everything looked neat and pretty – there was a little cotton napkin with sewn-in symbols on it, a terracotta plate with delicious looking bread, a little pot of some thick sugary syrup, a hot cup of some drink, and an unknown fruit, that Skeppy has never seen before. 

\- Thank you so, so much! – Skeppy attacked his food with a silver knife that he found in his pocket.  
\- The bread is a day old, but if you pour some syrup on it tastes just fine. – the house master found a little wooden spoon and helped his guest.  
He reached to the sealing and pinched a little flower, then sprinkled its seeds on the dish.  
Skeppy tried it, curious, and smiled in amazement.  
  
\- Wither flower seeds, - The man smiled, - these flowers (he pointed at the black roses) grow in fields on poisoned ground, and when there’s a lot of them, they drain your energy out of you. But their seeds taste nice and spicy.

Skeppy`s eyes lit up in amazement: - And what`s this fruit?  
  
\- This, - he took the weird purple fruit in his hand, and smoothly cut through it with Skeppy`s knife (and Skeppy didn`t mind), - is chorus fruit. It is highly magical and it will soothe your muscles.  
  
\- Try it! – he handed it to Skeppy joyfully, curious of his reaction.  
  
Skeppy placed a slice on this tongue. It tasted like summer rain in lavender skies. Sweet, but hydrating. He felt his body relax.  
  
\- I haven`t seen these plants yet! Are they from the deeper forest?  
  
\- Yes. As I told you, I kept you away from it all this time, - Halo nodded.  
  
\- My knight in thorny armor! That`s armor, right? – he pointed at the metal spikes on his legs.

\- Netherite armor. It`s a type of ore that piglin monsters use. They are a race of monsters that live in a society, here in the woods. They are really dangerous and we had luck with them proving that to us yesterday.

\- I remember! There was a strange skeleton in the same type of armor.

\- May I ask how did you find it? – The boy asked, clearly concerned.

\- I followed a path of golden dust…um… - Bad looked at him skeptically, - I was curious, okay?!

\- That is a bad sign… - Bad looked down, antlers hid his face.

\- What do you mean? 

\- The piglins. They already know that I collect armor from their corpses! I use it to mask myself as one of them, so they don`t attack me. If there was golden dust from the big hoglin, that means that it tried to lure me in. It means that… i-  
  
His beautiful green eyes teared up, looking crystal.  
  
\- That you getting hurt…was my fault. – his voice cracked a little.

Skeppy didn`t understand much, but heart ached so, so bad,  
“What a gentle soul” he thought and couldn`t resist enveloping his friend`s hands with his own,  
reassuringly squeezing them.

\- Listen, Bad, if anything I`m the one who should be sorry!  
Look, I`m just a reckless peasant who ran from an orphanage workhouse and shamelessly invaded your life.  
I got hurt only because of my curiosity! That`s why I like it here because I`m free of my responsibilities, – he babbled pitifully.  
  
\- But, … aren`t we friends? – he blushed. His ginger eyelashes were wet.  
  
With these words, something blossomed in Skeppy`s heart.  
It felt so warm, beautiful, magical.  
Spread like sweet honey through his chest.  
Enlightened him, like Halo`s ethereal spell.  
“He really is a witch.” 

Suddenly overwhelmed with how thankful he was, Skeppy came closer to Halo and planted a little kiss on his cheek, smiling. It was so soft. 

\- I hope we are. Because I think you are amazing.

Halo blushed really hard, not expecting the loving gesture. He wrapped his arms around Skeppy, holding him up to his heart. 

\- Still, I`d suggest you to…stay here while you heal…and then maybe…I could show you around? – He looked at the boy on his chest with humble hope, \- you are welcomed.  
\- That would be amazing! – his rosy lips turned into a soft smile.

\- Okay! Rule number one of my witch house – no saying bad stuff about my friends! It attracts bad energy, also known as hoglins! – Bad chirped joyfully.

\- You`re a ninny! – Skeppy showed his tongue to him playfully.

And that`s how in the deep dark abyss of a forest, a little light of a friendship was born.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU FOR READING! 
> 
> I have a few ideas on how i can continue this fic. i could add lore and recruit other mcyt in this tiny world.  
> would anyone want that? 
> 
> mi twitta @rottenmysh


	2. friends and enemies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so so so much for the great support on the first chapter!  
> I haven`t expected it at ALL!  
> all of you inspired me greatly :з 
> 
> also, I don`t appreciate the ao3 web layout... when I uploaded chapter 1, I haven`t even considered editing the fic lollll  
> but now, it`s edited, you can re-read it I promise you it`s not as chaotic.

  
Two boys circled around, up a groggy spiral staircase, climbing on a tall tree. Wood creaked quietly under their boots.  
  
\- You will like this, Skeppy!  
Halo ran up the stairs and disappeared behind the leaves, leaving Skeppy intrigued. Wooden stairs shook as he ran after him.  
  
\- Look, man, you just have to consider that my legs are sho-  
  
The sight was stunning. Skeppy stilled, losing his breath.  
The bright morning sky has never seemed so wide to the boy. It was crystal clear, with only a few clouds dusted on the horizon. He saw the sun for the first time in many days, and it`s shine enveloped him like a warm blanket. He looked around and a  
big, surprised smile tugged at his lips. Streaks and curls of beautiful color surrounded them as if they were in a painting. Growing from clay pots, there stood countless shades of flowers and plants. Everything smelled like the nicest spring days, like the  
sweetest candy. Skeppy spun around, taking in the new palette. He laughed wholeheartedly, overwhelmed with this sweet view.  
And Bad smiled warmly, observing his friend. Sunlight did magic to him, painting his lean figure with passion and strength, animating him. His eyes shimmered with amber and his hair curled as leaves do.  
'He looks like a little flower’ the witcher giggled  
to himself.  
  
\- What`s all of this? – the boy smiled back at Bad.  
  
\- This is my little greenhouse! I store different plants from all over the forest here. I`ve built it on the tree to get as much sunlight as possible. Also, this is the highest tree in this area! Look, you can even see the kingdom from here. – the young man  
pointed to a yellow hill, far on the horizon, and if you looked at it closely, you could see stone walls of a fortress.  
Skeppy couldn`t help but look back at his home. He didn`t know what to feel looking at it. He wasn`t welcomed there anymore, neither he wanted to come back, yet he still asked himself how did he abandon it so easily. What drove him?  
With his eyes, he traced his path – from the black ivy arch, all the way to his new friend. He rose his gaze to Halo, and it seemed like the witcher read his mind when he asked a question:  
\- May I ask you, why you left, friend? – he said so quietly, almost whispering.  
Skeppy`s face flushed a little like a blossoming rose as he looked away. – Would you want to know more about me?  
Bad nodded vigorously - so mote it be. They sat down, fusing into the flowers. Skeppy cleared his throat nervously.  
\- Do you remember, yesterday, I told you all that stuff about living in a workhouse?  
\- I do, I do.  
  
\- Well, that`s it, to be honest. All my life I lived there, working with a bunch of other kids under the wing of our mistress who fed us. She made us work for towns shoe workshops and marketplaces, you know, carving out soles out of wood and cutting  
out leather. Nothing interesting. We didn`t live happily, but we didn`t suffer. But time passed, we grew older, and we lost our worth to her. – He stopped for a moment, thinking, his friend waited patiently, - We were all about to be thrown out on the streets,  
but then… one day a royal guardian visited us,  
and they told us we were all going to be drafted for a new regiment.  
Everyone was happy to be saved from beggary, …but me.  
I thought… No… I felt that something was wrong. I didn`t want to be trapped again,  
to serve someone I don`t know. So, I ran. – Skeppy sighed, now he really was blushing.  
\- But…it was reckless of me, I always knew the scary stories about the woods and I never left the walls of the kingdom, yet, something drove me in here.  
  
\- Why am I here? – his big brows furrowed, he looked at Halo, confused.  
  
But Bad smiled softly. His eyes, like two emerald pendulums, looked away and back at his friend.  
  
\- What if I told you, that the forest called for you?  
  
Skeppy froze: - What do you mean?  
  
\- Skeppy, you said all this time you were driven by feeling, right? – he tilted his head a little. The younger boy nodded. – So, look where it brought you.  
Skeppy breathed out a laugh. He looked around the blooming greenhouse, it was filled to the brim with mystery and wonder, almost intoxicating him. Slowly he looked up at his friend. He noticed, his nose and his eye creases were sharp with knowledge.  
He nodded at him ‘Go on’.  
  
\- This forest is a place where magic is born, it`s everywhere you look. So, if something brought you here, Skeppy, it means that it wants you to become a part of it.  
  
\- A part of…magic?  
  
\- Exactly. Did you notice the nature of things around, how different it feels from home?  
  
\- Freeing? – Skeppy`s eyes glimmered.  
  
The wind howled gently and the black leaves of the forest looked like an ocean wave.  
Skeppy stared at it, mesmerized.  
He didn`t notice a worried look on his friend`s face.  
  
Later that morning, the two boys came back to their dirt hut and had breakfast of freshly picked fruit, then Halo invited them to sit down among a dozen of books.  
The young man opened a chest and took out a roll of paper. He carefully unfolded it, and put it on the table. – This is a map of the territory I`ve explored! If you want to, we can take a walk around different parts of the woods and see what resonates  
with your soul more. – Bad babbled out, flaunting a little, but in a nice way.  
  
\- My journal has too many spare pages to decline - Skeppy smiled back to him excitedly, - we should hurry, fall days are short!  
  
\- Well, I’m sure there will be at least a moment to prepare some tools. – Bad blushed and lazily showed Skeppy his tongue. He jumped out the door, forgetting to close it.  
Skeppy shook his head. ‘One more miracle for the journal’  
The boy glanced at the map once more. All the different areas were painted, it was a little ugly yet somehow a mesmerizing masterpiece. He recognized the majority of the dark woods, the basalt hills, and a little house.  
It stood among tall trees, so small, grown into the ground, not even above it.  
The map smelled of old books.  
‘It must have been lonely here’ the boy thought sadly.  
He closed his eyes. He knew he didn`t want that to his friend.  
  
Tap-tap-tap.  
Skeppy heard a faint sound.  
There, by the door, stood a cat. A Siamese one, but the look of it.  
Slowly and gracefully, it came up to his feet and stopped.  
  
\- Hello? – Skeppy laughed in amazement.  
Then, something happened,  
slowly the cat started glowing and growing. It morphed into a human figure and in a second,  
there stood a boy in front of him.  
  
A pretty oval of a face, curly brown hair, a long thin nose, and cunning eye shape with stunning irises, looking like crystals of celestine, like the sky that`s hidden in Bad`s greenhouse.  
Skeppy couldn`t look away, it was like they charmed him.  
  
He made very little sound;  
his fluffy ears twitched – they rustled,  
his tail wiggled – it swished,  
his pretty shirt with embroidered fly agarics – whispered on his thin body.  
  
– What an interesting creature You are… - his voice was plush, like a soft streamlet.  
  
Bad walked in the hut, all dressed to go, enveloped in netherite.  
  
\- Ant, where are your manners?! – he pouted, and Skeppy snapped out of his trance.  
The cat giggled and kept examining the young boy, so Bad shook his head, clearly annoyed.  
\- I`m sorry, Skeppy, this is my friend Antfrost, I’ve met him here in the woods and it seems like he does not know how to treat his guests!  
\- Sorry, sorry. Skeppy right? Your energy is similar to Bad`s, you must be a human! How did you get here?  
  
Skeppy blinked twice and came back into consciousness: - Have cats... always talked?  
Antfrost laughed sweetly: - Nice catch! Are we going to eat this one?  
\- Oh-my-goodness! Mind your manners, you verbose cat! Skeppy, we do NOT eat humans!  
The cat winked at Skeppy, and the boy`s eyes sparkled playfully in response:  
\- I knew I couldn`t trust you! They call you bad boy for a reason! – his face fell into his hands.  
\- No no no no no! Skeppy! Please don`t be worried! I`m never going to hurt you, you are welcomed here, remember? – Bad placed a hand on his shoulder and pressed lightly.  
\- Okay, good to know! – Skeppy rose his face with a flirty smile. Ant snickered and wiggled his tail.  
\- Oh my GOOOSH! That`s it! I`m done with you two! Let`s go! – Bad grabbed the two boys by the collars and pulled them out of the hut.  
  
\- So, where are we heading, Bad? – Ant asked, his eyes were glowing in the dark of the forest, like two little lakes, mirroring the skylight.  
  
\- Let`s introduce Skeppy to the boundaries of the safe zone. – Bad pulled up his hood. Skeppy suddenly felt like missing him. The dark trees stood tall around them, hiding the three boys in a shadow.  
  
\- Shall we? ~ - Ant smiled to Skeppy. He liked the human boy already, and it seemed to be mutual, - Let`s go to the lake first.  
  
\- Aww! Look at you, all dressed up to go? Dress to impress? – Halo pointed at Ant`s shirt and in response, the cat turned crimson, blushing, and then hissed at his friend.  
‘An inside joke?’  
  
‘They seem really close’ Skeppy thought. He smiled with relief.

  
They started off, shaking up the fallen leaves under their feet, crinkling with little branches. A silent conversation echoed:  
  
\- Skeppy, you really remind me of Bad from many years ago. – Antfrost spoke, as he and Skeppy trailed behind their friend.  
  
Skeppy was a little shy of the new companion, but he was glad to have his interest.  
  
\- R-Really? How?  
  
\- Just as lost and confused! – Antfrost winked at him, and Skeppy`s shoulders shook, giggling. - We met five years ago, just as he got exiled, he told you about that, right? – Skeppy nodded in agreement, and his companion spoke on, - He wandered  
into my cave at night, can you believe it? We both were terrified of each other and we couldn`t do anything about it so we just froze in our places and fell asleep. The next morning, we woke up as friends.  
  
\- It`s good to know that you keep each other safe. You can rarely see that in the human world. – Skeppy smiled a little sadly.  
  
\- You humans are strange. But at least you learn from us!  
  
The boys laughed, and the woods laughed back in response: the tall grass moved and let them on. Flowers in the hollows of wood twinkled brightly, lighting up their path.  
Even if the ambiance was dark and scary, some strange love tickled Skeppy`s heart. Whenever he breathed in, it flew in his bloodstream through his nostrils. It tickled from cold.  
He caught Bad looking at him, somehow…searching.

  
Deep and loud, the croaking of frogs was heard. The air smelled of wet soil.  
Skeppy looked under his boots, the ground was soft – covered with red moss that looked velvet.  
The boys stopped in front of a pond, a little swamp in fact, with dark red willows gently holding it.  
Sometimes Skeppy would see a firefly glow, or is he making that up?  
There were fly agarics peppered all around, exactly the same as on Antfrost`s shirt.  
Skeppy observed curiously as the cat-boy meowed all of a sudden.  
The smooth surface of the water riffled with a murmur.  
  
Gurgle – gurgle.  
A few waves vibrated and a redhead peeped out among lily pads.  
Then, a nose sprinkled with ginger freckles.  
  
Antfrost came up to the waterside, and a figure stood upon the water surface. Another friend!  
He flicked off some red alga off his white laced dress and sprang on the water to the shore.  
The first thing he did, was taking Antfrost`s face in his big hands and gently kissing a birthmark above his lip. Then they kissed tenderly, smiling and holding each other without a care in the world.  
Skeppy giggled, now he understood the inside joke.  
Bad smiled adoringly at them. He picked a flower. ‘A wither rose, I remember’  
He hid it in his pocket, and pat the soil with the back of his hand.  
  
\- Skeppy, meet Red! He`s my sweetheart, - Ant nodded at the boy that was holding him, - Red, meet Skeppy, he`s a new human friend.  
  
\- Hello, human! - he smiled fervidly, - are you learning magic like Bad?  
What an interesting question.  
The three wonders watched him, patiently waiting for an answer.  
Skeppy hasn`t thought about this yet. ‘I guess now I choose’  
He breathed in the thick, moist air. ‘The forest wants me to’ he smiled as he remembered his friend’s words. ‘And they are the forest’  
Skeppy simply nodded - why not if it means making new friends?  
Bad clapped excitedly and the two lovers whistled loudly.  
\- Welcome to the dark woods!

  
Skeppy`s tour guides found it their responsibility to show their new friend all the best sights around.  
Antfrost and Red pulled Skeppy by both hands excitedly, and Bad had to step in to calm them down before they tore apart the human.  
\- Guys, shoosh! We`re going to show Skeppy everything by order. – he pouted cutely, crossing his arms.  
  
They stepped on crunchy rocks and branches, avoided snake holes, and jumped over hills and rocks, chatting on their way quietly as they moved through the shadows.  
  
\- Here, Skeppy! – Ant gently moved away some dark vines that hid a narrow cave-like corner.  
Just the two of them came in.  
On a big stone, hundreds of black vines circled around, curled up like a snake.  
\- Listen carefully… - you could hear Ant`s smile through the whisper.  
  
Faint whistles of birds. They sounded like chaotic little tunes.  
Do…re…mi  
  
\- This is the best place for bird hunting, - Ant steadied himself, observing a little sparrow, - they live here because of the nether-wart, you know…these little things on the ground.  
He caught the poor bird with his hand, yet it simply jumped out of his paw and pecked him.  
Skeppy couldn`t resist giggling, the whole bird family shook above them, joining him.  
  
The boy accidentally stepped on the blood-red fungi. Squorch!  
\- Let`s pick those for Bad, he likes them. – Ant`s cat smile rose on his lips.  
They both squat down. The mushrooms painted their hands red. Cool and soft.  
Skeppy looked into Ant`s eyes:  
  
\- Why do you think I am in this forest?  
  
Antfrost puffed out a laugh in response.  
  
\- It`s only natural.  
You might think this world is foreign to you, … but you`re just forgetting that humans are animals too, - he looked away, his ears twitching, - all of us, we are born to move, to feel, to…live.  
You are here because you need to please your body - to serve up your purpose.  
  
\- Does that make sense? – he smiled artfully.

  
Soon, the boys grew hungry, so they decided to part. Ant went with Bad to find water and Red offered Skeppy to go look for food with him.  
Red`s gown shuffled as he ran, his bare feet tapping on the ground. Skeppy chased after him, laughing.  
Red stopped him, blocking his way with his hand.  
  
\- Now look at this monstrosity! – his eyes shone at Skeppy with pride and youth.  
Some strange thin lilac bushes grew wide and tall all around,  
dominating this land with its waves and curls.  
There were dark purple pores in the branches.  
The strange in its pure form.  
\- What the-? – Skeppy turned to his guide, clearly struggling.  
  
Red looked at him for a second and then blew up with laughter.  
  
\- You look like you`ve never seen a chorus fruit before! – he wheezed, - wait, you actually haven`t! – he fell on the ground laughing.  
  
\- You know what`s funny, I have eaten them! - Skeppy smiled.  
Red climbed on a tall branch and picked the purple fruit.  
\- Well, these are the chorus plants! What a pity it`s fall, though, they bloom beautifully in spring.  
He jumped around from branch to branch easily, collecting its harvest.  
Skeppy climbed on one near and faced him.  
Red rose his eyebrows, wondering what Skeppy has to say.  
  
\- Why do you think I am here?  
  
Red smiled, a little detached.  
\- Well, we`re all here for a reason, right? – he kept silent for a while, but then looked straight at the human,  
  
\- Skeppy, you showed up here so unexpectedly, not even the stars could predict it,  
I think that means that you have a path carved out here,  
“a purpose to serve up to”.  
  
‘They both said the same thing’ Skeppy realized, both amazed and humored.

  
The boys sat together on a moss bed, enjoying a meal of sweet juicy fruit.  
Skeppy felt amazing in this company, laughing for no reason.  
He can`t remember the last time his cheeks hurt this much from smiling.

  
\- So how does magic work? - Skeppy looked in the distance.  
What a simple, yet a loaded question.  
  
\- Aahh! May I, may I answer? – Bad raised his hand high like a schoolboy.  
  
\- Go on, magic man, - Red snickered.  
  
Halo came closed up to the boy, taking his hand - Listen up, Skeppy, - he cutely looked for attention,  
\- Here in the woods, everything holds a magical feeling. Every living being is charged with energy that helps you cast spells. So, to perform a spell, you need to talk to your surroundings!  
Bad`s hand was really warm and soft, it felt nice against Skeppy`s.  
\- Bad, stop showing off! We`ll teach him through practice. – Antfrost gave Bad`s side a friendly tickle.  
The cat turned north and wiggled his tail, asking them to follow him.  
Bad let go of his hand, and soon it turned cold.  
  
All of the boys walked until they found themselves on a cliff.  
It was a little patch of heaven, made of tall trees with beautiful teal leaves and curly red bushes. Mysterious fruit, jingling softly, swung on the branches, lighting up the place magically.  
But, down the cliff was a terrorizing sight on the horizon: a valley, with heavy dark sand, poured on the ground. It felt so deeply grounding, it almost tingled the boys with anxiety.  
  
\- Hm! We got lucky! – the cat said as he picked something off the ground.  
Something shiny! He showed it to Skeppy. It was a glimmering dark green gemstone, reflecting the orange light of fruit on its smooth surface.  
  
\- This is an ender pearl, look what it does. – his blue eyes met it one last time before throwing it on the ground near them. Before Skeppy could even blink, the cat was standing still in the place where it landed.  
Skeppy`s jaw dropped a little from amazement.  
  
\- Want to try? – Ant wiggled his fingers in the air deviously. Skeppy knew that the cat was leading him to something.  
  
Nonetheless, he picked a pearl from the ground, blew at it, and cleaned it a little from dust. (Bad smiled at that for some reason) He threw it somewhere without aim and closed his eyes. Nothing happened.  
  
Antfrost giggled: - I see you realize that it`s not as simple as that, right?  
  
Then Bad stepped in and explained:  
  
\- It`s true Skeppy, there is a twist. When you want your spell to come to life, you have to know for sure what it will give you. You have to set an intent. So, for example, when you throw an ender pearl, - he placed one weighty  
gemstone in Skeppy`s hand, - imagine yourself standing in a place where it`ll land.  
Skeppy furrowed his eyebrows in doubt, but Bad shook his shoulder really gently, cheering him on.  
He threw it but had to squint to see the place of its fall. Didn`t work.  
  
\- Try throwing it closer for now, - Bad mentored him, - so it`s easier to imagine.  
He threw the ender pearl two steps in front of him. There grew a gorgeous wither rose…  
He focused on that same patch of ground, closing his eyes to imagine himself standing there, a flower beside him. When his eyes fluttered open, he didn`t realize that he stood near the flower until his friends didn`t start  
cheering excitedly.  
It wasn`t perfect, he was two more steps away, but he did it somehow, and it was enough to shake his view of the world.  
He felt dizzy and dazed.  
  
\- Skeppy! Your first spell! – Bad cheered, absolutely thrilled.  
It was like a small victory kiss to Skeppy`s heart.  
He didn`t know why, but he was really glad to impress the witcher.  
He laughed tiredly, shaking his head at the boys - speechless.  
Bad came up to the rose and reached to pick it, but midair hesitated and pulled away.  
  
\- But I still think it`s important we explain what Bad meant. – Red said, sitting on the edge of the cliff, dangling his bare legs. Ant nodded seriously and Halo looked away, his face unreadable.  
  
\- The point is, not all the land in this country is safe for magic… If one place brings light and clarity, the other is so dense, you can`t even think straight there. This little cliff is one of the boundaries that separate the safe zone  
from the deep dark. – Red said.  
  
\- The other one is the basalt hills that you`ve been to, Skeppy – Bad added in, awaking unpleasant memories.  
  
\- Yes. The dark land belongs to piglin monsters. – Red pointed at the dark valley, - Before they were a neighboring race here, and they lived in peace with other forest life, but…something… happened that made them  
bloodthirsty and cruel.  
  
\- They conquer everything they see. – Ant looked away sadly.  
  
\- So, our land is slowly picking up on their negativity and it turns heavy, too heavy to cast magic on.  
  
\- What we do is keep it in a good shape so it doesn’t erode and stays alive. – Ant said, - it takes a lot of time and energy.  
  
\- So, learning magic might be a challenge… - Red looked away too, looking sorry.  
  
Skeppy looked at the friends he`s made today. They looked genuinely sorry.  
A fire of determination sparked through his whole body.  
‘Do they really think I`ll leave them right now after all the great things they`ve done to me?’  
‘And they say I`m the one who’s strange…’  
  
\- If you need any help, I`m always ready. – Skeppy stated, most honest he can be.  
  
They all turned to him, mesmerized, and shared happy, relieved looks to each other.  
That must be a lot of beautiful smile lines.  
\- Oooh! Look there! An endermite! – All of a sudden Red pointed to some creature on the ground. Two lover boys jumped there, playfighting,  
\- Mine!  
\- Nope, I`ve got it!  
\- Skeppy, try this! – Ant threw the thing to the human while struggling to free himself from his boyfriend’s grip.  
  
It was some throbbing violet blob with a little frog nose. Skeppy almost put it in his mouth,  
but Bad smacked his hand yelling: - DO NOT EVEN TRY, SKEPPY!  
But then he took Skeppy`s hand and pat it apologetically, additionally taking the little monster and throwing it off the cliff.  
  
\- I think we hanged out enough for the day, - He rose his nose and shook his head in the most childish manner.  
They laughed, drunk on their youth.

  
Sunset poured through the leaves, gently warning the creatures of the upcoming night.  
The time came for the boys to part.  
They went all the way through the grass, leaves patting their backs as a silent goodbye.  
Something was pulsing and crackling in the air that Skeppy was too tired to sense. His legs felt wobbly.  
Silent and heavy.  
Antfrost couldn`t stand the tension. His ear kept twitching.  
Something rustled in the grass. The cat snaped his whole body at the sound and cut through the grass with his claws in a violent swish.  
Skeppy`s vision got blurry, but he could swear on his soul that he saw something twitch among the trees.  
  
\- You`ve felt this all day too, right, Bad? – Ant squinted his cat eyes at the witcher  
Bad nodded, hiding behind his antlers.  
Not clear…  
\- Someone, I sense…  
Skeppy tried to focus on that place in the grass…  
something glimmered there, in the waves of sunrise, something golden.  
A shape…someone’s shoulders maybe?  
  
\- Skeppy, are you feeling well? – Antfrost looked at him, concerned.  
Skeppy rubbed his eyelids with a cold hand, yet the blur wouldn`t go away.  
Suddenly his legs shook, and he would`ve fallen if Bad hasn`t caught him by the waist at the right time.  
The boy balanced himself as best as he could, yet still had to put his cheek against Halo`s sturdy shoulder.  
  
Ant put his hand on his forehead and Red hummed in worry:  
  
\- Get him home, Bad, he`s withered.  
  
\- Take care of the human, he`s very nice!  
  
Their voices fused together, confusing Skeppy, he didn`t think of anything.  
He just floated somewhere…above it all.  
  
Bad looked at him sadly, leading him on the path by holding his thin waist.  
Skeppy`s face wrinkled.  
Branches of the trees kept them safe, wriggling together, and closing like gates behind their backs.  
Bad nodded to them.  
  
His mind got foggy in a hurricane of thoughts. How could he let his friend get so drained? Why didn`t he think that out?  
Really, really sorry thoughts.  
  
Skeppy glanced at the darkness behind them. What was there? A glimmer.  
  
A familiar emblem.  
  
He squinted and saw it: a male,  
broad shoulders wrapped in gold, and the face…  
Tortured and morphed.  
Skeppy`s knees bent and Bad gasped as he had to catch the boy once again.  
His pretty eyelashes fell closed.  
‘He fainted’ Bad took him gently in his arms, and Skeppy leaned into his chest unconsciously.  
There was something fluttering in there too, just like in his…mysterious.  
Bad`s heartbeat calmed him down like a lullaby.  
Warm and secure. It tingled him in the places where their skin met.  
Bad held onto Skeppy tighter – he won`t let go.  
He felt sharply someone`s presence too, but turned his back to those energies, shielding this little flower from them.  
The witcher was really worried but tried hard to push it all away, while his duty is to protect his friend.  
  
Suddenly, an echo reached him.  
A ringing of metal.  
He looked back in the distance,  
and saw a man. His golden chest plate shone orange.  
He was wearing a mask, a creeper`s face.  
  
He was proven right.  
Aimed precisely in the sky, he threw an ender pearl high up, lighting it up with sunset.  
He clenched Skeppy gently, but sturdy.  
He blinked and found himself on the doorstep of his dirt hut.  
  
\- Skeppy, there`s something I`m not telling you…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU FOR READING
> 
> it`s 2 am..........I can die peacfully


	3. seeking for clarity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas!!!!!
> 
> This year was long, confusing, and painful for many. But now that it`s almost gone, we can wish for the best in a new one!  
> Do not lose your hope, reader! If I could, I would give you a soft hug (only if you like hugs).  
> yeah about that...  
> I DID NOT EXPECT IT TO BE SO LONG WHAT THE ACTUAL??????  
> WHAT HAPPENED EVEN??????????????  
> grammarly says this is 30 mins of reading time 0_o  
> This chapter is inspired by wilburs amlbum - your city gave me asthma, so you can search it up on yt for full expirience.  
> If you`re mad enough to continue reading, relax and enjoy!

  
Once upon a time,  
  
on a dusty red road, three boys were born.  
Their names were Sapnap, Dream, and Halo.  
They had met the road one heating summer, and since they learned how to walk, they had set out on their path.  
The only thing they knew about this road was that they wanted to see where it ends.  
  
In the clouds of dusty red smoke, they lived as fragile souls among cruel bandits and foes. They had to work hard for survival - scaring their soft little hands for free, in the hope of some kind stranger treating them leftovers.  
They could trust no one but themselves.  
  
The oldest boy, Halo, was the one to blow hopes and dreams into them. He would always take care of his friends: kiss their wounds after fights and falls, pinch lice out of their hair, whisper kindness into their ears.  
  
He was always there for Sapnap and Dream.  
What pained him. He always wished the best life for them.  
He tied pretty bows into their torn shoes, he cut their dirty hair neatly, manifesting their happiness.  
He made the boys feel loved, and they started to believe that they deserved more than the tortures of this place.  
  
So, they started their travel.  
  
The boys had to arm themselves and learn how to fight.  
They gave and received bloody wounds while defending themselves on pitch-black nights.  
But they were never hurt enough to stop heading towards the horizon dot. Maybe they wanted to meet the sun?  
They realized many things on their way: that people don`t live on this road without a sly reason and that many don`t have the same hope that burns bright inside them.  
  
The travel took them a long time.  
They erased their shoes into dust, and clothes tugged at their broad shoulders. In fact, the boys grew into young men by the time they stopped at an enormous stone gate.  
A neat little kingdom lay on a yellow hill - a gateway for the comfortable life they always desired.  
But the ironclad guards didn`t open the gates. They saw the boys threatening.  
  
\- Prove your worth! If you show us that you come with peace, we will let you become citizens.  
  
Young men found themselves thinking.  
What could help them? Faith?  
A young man in funny round glasses and a turtleneck ran around the guards with a stack of books. Halo, Dream, and Sapnap went up to him and asked for help, trusting a boy of their age.  
He put a finger to his chin thinking and then told them a story.  
This kingdom appeared in a mysterious forest, deep and dark.  
Terrifying beasts of alien nature live there. Hungry for human flesh,  
they attack the city, so the mighty king ordered his people to build a wall to protect them. Even though the wall stands strong around the city, one beast won`t stop tormenting its citizens. Scarlet vines crawl inside overnight and  
grow wide in the kingdom. They seem to dry the soil and strangle people in their sleep. The guards could not defeat them because whenever they banished them, they doubled in size.  
Years of hard work, fighting, and dreaming spoke in the boys as they grew passionate with the idea of defending this beast. That would undoubtedly prove their benevolence.  
George, the boy with the books, even though he agreed to help the young men, couldn`t see this passion from behind his foggy glasses.  
Yet they proved him wrong when, together, they fearlessly followed the trail of the vines and found themselves in the dark woods.  
Impenetrable darkness threatened to disarm the boys, to swallow them mercilessly,  
but years of sword-fighting secured them as they swung and tore the blackness with swifts of their blades.  
  
In the deep abyss of these woods, they found the root of the vines.  
A gigantic red monster, a slimy shapeless shadow, stood tall like a mountain among naked trees. The vines were growing out of it.  
It didn`t scare them at all. The way it melted the air with its magma essence reminded them of the misery they ran from so desperately, only pushing them forward to defeat it.  
It took the boys all of their strength and power, but together they had slain the brute.  
  
The boys felt triumphal as they hugged and kissed. Finally, they could build the best lives they wished for each other.  
  
Halo looked back at the monster`s deathbed.  
Among the burned ground, there was a small red vine.  
In his loving nature, the boy kneeled beside and pat it with his finger apologetically.  
The vine curled around his finger, hugging him back.  
Halo`s smile was softer than a cloud.  
Suddenly, it glimmered red as if blood was passing through it.  
They were just two small living beings connecting.  
  
When the townspeople heard of the men`s victorious battle, they gladly accepted the four into the kingdom.  
The king himself was impressed and insisted on them joining his royal guard, which meant they had to do a familiar blood warming job, but in the most luxurious provisions possible.  
  
Soon their dusty rags changed to silk blouses and velvet ponchos with the kingdom`s emblem. An ultramarine blue cross. The boys wore them a little shyly but enjoyed the comfort.  
They build their first home, stonen it stood sturdy in the row with many other houses. Its red-tiled roof hung low to the ground.  
  
The four boys lived together, taking care of each other as they did in their youth. They integrated into the kingdom fast. Despite being humble, they were also charismatic. Citizens fell in love with them soon, inviting them to  
great dances and get-togethers and this love were mutual.  
  
Halo felt at peace. Happiness finally shone at his friends!  
But something within, curiosity maybe, pulled him back into the deep dark of the forest. He was reeled in as if with a fishing rod when he listened to the mysterious gossips from his porch.  
  
So, he let himself get reeled in. He wandered under the forest cap at days and nights, discovering unexplainable creatures and things that made him question:  
Does magic exist? How can it not with the things I`ve seen?  
  
So, he dug around libraries where books rotted from age and indeed found out about an ancient craft. Crinkling. If he didn`t crinkle with the pages of books throughout the nights, he would crinkle with leaves of trees in the day.  
The more he learned, the more he explored about the wonderous woods, he fell for it with his whole soft heart.  
Before he used to pick flowers to analyze them, but now he found himself gently petting them. They twinkled back at his touch. Soft rain, quiet river streams, and cicadas, a whole new world opened up to him.  
He learned to heal and create and found his true purpose.  
  
He used to dream of beauty for his friends, but now he could dream for the beauty of his own!  
  
But he didn`t know that magic was strictly forbidden in this kingdom. Humans have built walls to protect themselves from it, believing that magic only harms and kills.  
  
His friends noticed how he covered himself with a hood, how he avoided ballrooms, and how lovingly he reads the same books over and over again.  
  
But they didn`t worry for him, because they were just as in love with a certain plan they have been creating, to improve their beloved city greatly.  
The boys went to propose their plan to the king.  
His highness was endowed with excitement, ready to seal the deal.  
  
But then, a dozen of guards rushed in the palace, dragging in the young witcher.  
They ripped off his hood,  
revealing small black horns, so obvious against his pale skin.  
  
\- We found him in the royal archives again! He broke his promise, Your Majesty!  
  
The darkness of nescience deepened.  
The marble palace reflected silhouettes chaotically, morphing the truth.  
The story scattered.  
  
The king was devastated, his cry rang out like a lightning:  
\- I`ve had enough of you, demon! Banish this cursed beast!  
  
The air blurred in a poisonous curse. Foggy.  
  
The three figures of his friends stepped away.  
  
Dream`s voice, a lion’s growl, echoed into the endless castle halls:  
  
\- You really have… traded us for a dead bouquet.  
  
His gaze burned through Halo`s gentle skin.  
Three fingers pointed him to leave.  
He ran, each footstep ringing against the marble.  
He ran, with his eyes closed. His legs brought him to the woods.  
  
He stopped still, and that same spot became his new home.  
Tears like rivers poured down his cheeks.  
His irises, like green glass shattered into millions of pieces.  
He broke down, choking onto his whines.  
He fought for air, it abandoned his little lungs.  
  
Skeppy`s heart stung with fiery pain, he had to help him.  
He reached out a hand,  
And woke up.

  
There he was in front of him,  
one of his scarred hands on Skeppy`s forehead.  
Not crying, but smiling.  
Halo placed the other hand on Skeppy`s and shook his shoulders, setting himself closer to the boy.  
Skeppy`s head sunk in a soft pillow. The hut smelled of sage.  
He locked his fingers with the young man. ‘Good morning’ his eyes said.  
  
\- Good morning! – Bad giggled and whispered in reply.  
  
\- Was that you? In my sleep… - Skeppy rubbed his eyes, lost.  
  
\- I sent you that dream, - Bad nodded, blushing, - Astral projection. I`ll teach you someday.  
  
Skeppy couldn`t tear his gaze away from Bad`s eyes, looking for cracks in the green irises.  
They glimmered with sadness.  
\- This can`t be true, how could they let you go so easily? – Skeppy`s voice cracked in a sorrowful whine.  
  
Bad nodded shortly ‘A story for another time’, and pat Skeppy.  
The younger boy knew that the witcher kept something to himself, but he trusted him nonetheless.  
Their hands felt hot as the sun against each other, it`s like they could feel each vein, each drop of blood meeting together.  
It is a strange sort of feeling when two people meet and expect worry from the unfamiliarity of each other, but then when their souls' touch, they realize how little they need to seed love.  
  
\- Skeppy, I felt the need to tell you my story, - he looked away and frowned, - when you told me yours, I realized that you coming here might be not erratic…  
  
Smoky quartz. Skeppy chewed these words in his mind. He remembered the golden shadow from yesterday. Something was stirring up.  
\- I haven`t even had breakfast yet! – he shook his head with a sad smile, voice husky.  
  
Their laughter sounded so pretty when mixed together.  
  
  
Living together, Bad and Skeppy started to build a daily routine.  
A pattern of adventures and miracles.  
Every day they would go around the woods to take care of it,  
learning new spells on their way. Here are some of them:  
  
  
It was the first day of Skeppy`s witch path.  
Skeppy and Halo were standing in a streamlet that lazily riffled under their bare feet.  
It was really warm, almost boiling, because of the magma walls all around it.  
The air around was steamy and scented with a refreshing minty smell. It burned at Skeppy`s nostrils.  
The witcher softly cut up some cyan roots that were embroidered into the magma and brought up a kettle to the cut. The root cried its oily juice into the kettle slowly.  
  
\- Oh c’mon, Bad! You promised that we`re doing magic today! – Skeppy whined and tugged at his friend’s cloak.  
  
\- Oh-my-goodness! Can`t you wait for a little? – the older boy smiled.  
  
Dots of red light danced on his skin.  
  
\- I`ve been waiting all dayyyy! You talk all the time of how I will make a great witcher, yet do nothing about it! You`ve been just dragging me along whatever you`re doing, and that`s fine to me, but you don`t even let me  
help! – he shook his friend lightly. It was fun to tease him.  
  
\- We are already doing witchcraft!  
  
\- Of what kind? – Skeppy rolled his eyes.  
  
\- Hold your muffins! I brought you here…umm…to explain something!  
  
\- Mhm-mhm, and what is it?  
  
\- Energy! I haven`t explained it to you properly yet, right? But it`s the most important part!  
  
\- Go on, go on…  
  
\- Everything around us, Skeppy, living and inanimate nature it all has some sort of feeling attached to it…an aura! And that aura is their energy. It`s everything we consist of, it`s our world. You are the embodiment of your  
own energy. Feelings, thoughts…all of our secrets radiating off us.  
  
Skeppy smiled. It`s true. He could sense easily sense how Bad was showing off right now.  
  
\- Well, witchcraft is working with that energy. With world`s material. You ask something from the world. If you do it properly, it will treat you with anything you desire.  
  
\- But to ask something from the world you need to live in it. To... feel it.  
  
\- For now, just look around for different energies. – Bad nodded simply.  
  
\- How do they feel? – Skeppy wondered.  
  
\- Like a presence. You will get it once you feel it. Now go! – He pushed him away lightly and Skeppy splashed him with water playfully.  
  
So Skeppy did.  
  
Skeppy went down, following the stream, crunching with pebbles under his feet.  
The warm water tickled him as if it was alive, no, maybe it was alive!  
If Skeppy could describe in a word how it felt, he would say youth.  
He ran and danced on, his sweet laughter being the music.  
He didn`t have to look, to see tiny birds bathing in the streaks of the stream.  
He didn`t have to smell, to know that moss absorbed hot minty steam.  
He didn`t have to taste, to know how salt that was deeply hidden in the ground, dissolved in the water.  
He didn`t have to touch, to know how soft Halo`s hair was.  
He felt it all in his heart! And he was there, among them!  
But suddenly, he heard.  
He heard a sharp snap of a tree. Someone was here, his heart screamed at him!  
A presence that Bad mentioned! Is it supposed to feel so…unwelcoming?  
Odd, alien… whoever he felt did not belong here.  
He ran back to his friend and gently tugged at his cloak.  
  
\- Did you feel anything? Are you alright? – The witcher`s eyes glimmered with worry from under his hood.  
  
\- A presence, Bad! I think I felt someone, but I`m not sure…  
  
\- Someone? – Bad frowned, - You can try and find them!  
Skeppy already turned to go on a lookout, but the witcher caught him by the elbow.  
\- But you`ll do it in the same way you felt all the other energies! Remember back at the cliff, you threw an ender pearl? – Skeppy nodded once strongly, one wave of hair fell on his face, - I told you to imagine where you`ll  
land, that is called visualization. It`s when you`re trying to bring something to you by imagining it. Try imagining that energy you`ve felt!  
  
So Skeppy tried, he came back to the same place where he felt the presence and closed his eyes and imagined as he did with the ender pearl.  
He still felt that energy, not as strong, but it stuck to him.  
His mind drew a shadow of a man.  
He stood still in the boy`s headspace.  
The pressure was growing more and more on the boy,  
he heard another snap of wood.  
There, in the woods, stood a man in a mask.  
But… not in front of him.  
The magma walls were radiating heat, the steam was almost burning.  
  
\- Skeppy, did you see anybody? – Halo came up to him, looking with gentle worry at his friend.  
  
\- I…don`t think it worked, Bad  
  
\- Oh, that`s okay! Visualization is pretty hard, but at least you`re excellent with energies! Do you think- - He stopped suddenly when Skeppy laced their fingers together. He blushed deeply, breaking into a sheepish smile.  
  
Skeppy was still a little scared by his vision, so he asked Bad for comfort. He liked his soft hands.  
  
\- C`mon, let`s get out of here, we`re going to get cooked! – Halo mumbled softly to the boy. They went down the stream, holding hands while Bad`s kettle bubbled and gurgled.  
  
  
As Ant and Red said earlier, the forest is life in it`s pure, always changing and morphing.  
Things strong like Negativity and Heaviness spread like the plague. It was up to the pack of boys if they wanted to keep it safe for magic. So, they made it their job to nourish and clean it!  
Red and Ant took care of the western part, Bad and Skeppy of the eastern.  
It was typical for Skeppy and Bad to spent all day walking through the woods, picking wither flower and scrubbing out black moss. They were hard to notice, but easy to feel because wherever they grow, the air thickens and cools  
down, but your hands uncomfortably warm up.  
The witcher noticed that his human friend, after each day got more and more drained, so he taught his friend something new.  
  
\- Slow down, Skeppy! – he said concerned, as they were walking down a steep cliff. The human was not careful, falling and sliding, endangering himself!  
  
Skeppy had a splitting headache, but he kept his feelings to himself, bearing up with them as much as he could. Now, he understood what kind of trouble his friends meant.  
\- Hey, friend…, - the older boy gently placed his hands on youngers shoulders, pressing down lightly, grounding him, - Skeppy, let`s sit down, you muffin.  
  
\- Right here? But we`re almost done for today…let`s do it fast! – the human shook his head lazily.  
  
\- There`s always time to rest. Sit down with me, I have to teach you something.  
So, the human obeyed, flopping down on the ground like a pinecone.  
He couldn`t connect thoughts in his head.  
\- Listen, before you do any magic, you have to know and do one thing. – he pierced Skeppy with his green eyes, keeping him awake, - You should always take care of yourself and your energy. Otherwise, you will be too tired! –  
  
They sat down in a valley, little a dip, standing narrow between two jasper cliffs. Sun kissed the cap of leaves above them, but it was stingy for its shine, only tinting the ambiance yellow.  
  
\- Us humans, we`re weird and sometimes we forget how to rest. Yet really, it`s fundamental. Look around! – Bad introduced the surroundings to Skeppy with his palm, - All of this life around you is just a game between the  
five elements you already know.  
  
\- Water, Fire, Earth, and Air? – Skeppy mumbled tiredly, but his eyes twinkled with curiosity.  
  
\- Exactly! The four of them will help you greatly to cleanse yourself. You can just let one of them, the one that you like the most, carry you away.  
  
\- W-what do you mean?  
  
\- Well, you know, it`s the same as when you bathe in water, have you noticed that after you wash up you feel energized and calm?  
Skeppy nodded.  
\- You can do that with any element.  
  
\- How can you bathe with air? – Skeppy quirked an eyebrow.  
Halo laughed as if Skeppy asked if the sky`s blue.  
\- Just close your eyes. You will see.  
  
Skeppy`s eyes fluttered close.  
His eyelids burned. Muscles were tense.  
He sat like that for a while and almost fell asleep when he felt  
faint streaks of wind blow, caressing his skin.  
The wind blew through his hair and tickled his whole body.  
He felt it carry away some of his fatigue,  
dissolving it in the…  
…air!  
  
He opened his eyes and looked at Bad, pleasantly surprised.  
  
\- That worked! Holy rocks!  
  
\- Did you really doubt your amazing mentor?  
  
\- How do you bathe in the… ground? – he giggled, a little dazed.  
  
\- Like this! – Bad said as he tackled his friend onto the soft leaves. Skeppy yelped in surprise, but then both of them lay together. The scent of the ground was so familiar.  
  
\- Skeppy, you know what?  
\- Hm?  
  
\- Anywhere you go on earth you are accepted, Skeppy. – he stopped for a moment, looking up at the black web of tree branches. - The ground, if it let you step on it once - that means that you are welcomed on it forever.  
And wherever you want to go, you are free to, and you are home.  
  
Skeppy sneaked a look on Bad while he couldn`t notice.  
Though the witcher`s words were like music to his ears, he knew the bitter truth.  
  
\- Why were you exiled then? Why did I run away? – his voice was barely a whisper.  
Skeppy took the witcher`s hand, seeking for his warmth. He felt so sourly sorry for him.  
  
Halo squeezed his hand gently and met Skeppy`s gaze.  
Yellow sunlight flowed through his green eyes.  
  
\- Humans, they claim land, set rules…but it's just playing pretend… you can`t claim something as feisty and stormy as earth.  
  
\- Yet we got hurt in this game. – Skeppy breathed out.  
  
\- But at least, we are home now. – Halo smiled.  
They lay in the red leaves for one more moment.  
  
  
Skeppy watched as curls peeled off as he was carving wood.  
On windy days like these, the boys stayed in the hut and did household chores or enjoyed some books or games together.  
The younger boy was busy making some lanky jars, sitting on the woolen rug, an old cyan sweater covering his knees. Skeppy knew winter was close whenever he wore it.  
Bad was sitting in his armchair with a steaming cup of cocoa, writing in one of his big books.  
Skeppy adored his green, puffy-sleeved sweater-cardigan with funny yellow frogs embroidered all over. It looked like they were running around in a field! Underneath it, prettily frizzled lace of his shirt. On his legs was a pair of  
burgundy pants, rising high on his waist, making him hold a good posture. A pair of glasses tinted in copper hung low on his nose, just on the tip. His green eyes would sometimes meet Skeppy`s, but just for a second.  
His tall red leather boots stood by him, folded under the table. The cup, which he sipped cocoa from, was round, with moon phases scribbled into its terracotta. His handwriting looked like silly scribbles to Skeppy. Maybe that  
was some other language?  
  
\- What for do you need all of these? – Skeppy mumbled as he finished another of the many jars.  
The witcher looked at him from under his glasses, and smiled excitedly:  
\- Spell jars! Since you`ve had trouble with visualizing, maybe a more literal approach will do good! – He babbled out and wiggled his finger, offering Skeppy to join him. Skeppy jumped up like a frog from Bad`s sweater field  
and came up to the witcher.  
  
\- So, what are spell jars, sir bad boy? – the human boy`s eyelashes fluttered like butterflies.  
  
Bad explained, pinching his nose, pathetically impersonating a sir:  
\- They are spells that you do with the help of other energies, that correspond to a specific intent you have envisioned. To be clear, if you want to…I dunno…jinx someone, just fill up a jar with the things they hate.  
  
\- Jinx? Why so specific? – Skeppy wiggled his eyebrows at the witcher, smirking.  
  
\- No-no-no-no-no! It can be any intent! Depends on your heart and your materials. – Bad shook his arms in the air resentfully.  
  
\- I bet you have jinxed before! – Skeppy nodded to himself confidently.  
  
\- Even if I had, that`s not what we`re talking about right now! – he pouted and reached to his furnace, fiddling with cups and bottles, - Focus, S-geppy!  
  
Skeppy made a mental note to not mess with the man and, taking a pair of the wooden jars, followed him.  
  
\- So Skeppy, there are different ingredients you can use: herbs, crystals, oils, whatever the earth gives you! – he said as he pulled up a small, yet weighty wooden chest on the stove. – they all correspond to different  
intentions, mmm… think of it as if when you need a house built, but you don`t know how to, so you ask help from a…?  
  
\- Builder? – Skeppy said doubting, who knows how things work in this strange forest…  
  
\- Exactly! – he barked out a confused laugh, - why did you say that so unsurely?  
  
\- Go on, go on…  
  
\- Yes, but I don`t think you want to build a house, right? We`re doing spells and to cast a certain spell we need helping energies.  
  
Herbs? Hundreds were hanging above his little messy head, and each one sang their own songs – balmy scents that made the boy feel airy.  
Crystals? The boy peeked in the chest, opening it slightly and many gentle curves of tiny stones shone at him with soft tones of color.  
  
\- But how do I know what will help me?  
  
\- You can always ask me, or check in this book, - he ran up to a bookshelf and gave him a tome that could hit in his palm. Skeppy checked, there were colored drawings of plants and gems that had funny faces on them and  
their intents scribbled above. Self-love, inspiration, confidence…  
  
\- Do you want to do one now? – Halo asked Skeppy calmly, yet pleading with his eyes.  
Skeppy nodded vigorously. He was excited too!  
Bad`s whole face lit up with a smile: - What intent can you think of? – he whispered.  
Skeppy closed his eyes for a moment.  
What does he want right now?  
His mind brought him to retrace his path again.  
He thought of everything that has happened to him up to now, all of his miracles.  
One shadow reminded of himself.  
A figure in the mask observed him.  
What did it want?  
Skeppy hummed and opened his eyes. He shook his head as if he tried to shake off the cursed shadow.  
\- Clarity. – he told Bad confidently.  
Bad`s eyebrows twitched at the word, after a little bit of thinking he said:  
\- Clarity it is! I`m going to guide you through. - his voice mixed in with jingles and rumbles as he fussed around, gathering the ingredients.  
Skeppy fumbled with his sleeves, waiting. Enraptured?  
  
The witcher handed Skeppy a small bowl, and one by one put different ingredients:  
  
A black shard of a stone. It looked like a piece of the night sky, glimmering with its sharp creases. Obsidian.  
Then he gently tapped a white matte crystal, turning it into glimmering dust. Salt.  
Rosemary. So deliciously fragrant, it painted Skeppy’s hands with the smell.  
  
\- So, before I introduce you to our builders, how about we revise the most important part of a spell! – the witcher said, seeming like a real teacher for a moment.  
  
\- Setting an intent, I know, I know! – Skeppy grumbled impatiently.  
  
\- Good job! So, when you make a spell jar, you don`t just put stuff in there bluntly, but charge each thing with your intent!  
  
\- Is it the same as visualization?  
  
\- Well…it doesn`t have to be! You can just ask them politely for help! I`ll leave you guys for a moment. – with these words we walked out of the hut, taking away all the light with him, leaving Skeppy with one single candle  
that shone on his “builders”. For some reason Skeppy chose to not mind the talking to rocks part.  
  
He came up to the table. There was a book. “Clarity spell jar” a neat little title headed the page. Stones, herbs, and salt that were in the recipe, lay in a basket beside. The boy was a little lost, scratching his head. The flame of the  
candle twinkled, hurrying him up. He laughed excitedly and dove in.  
  
He traced the words with his finger,  
“Add obsidian as the base element, ask it to bring you an answer to your question. Obsidian is a stone that sees beyond time, it`s perfect for deviation and it`s shiny and awesome!” Skeppy suppressed laughs in the sleeve of his  
sweater.  
  
He took the stone in his palm. It seemed alive when it reflected the dancing flame. It radiated some kind of greatness and majesty. Even though it was nothing more but a stone, Skeppy loosened his grip on it in respect.  
  
\- S-sir, could you please help me out here? Someone keeps disturbing me and I don`t know who they are. – he whispered to the stone.  
  
He smiled at a memory - back in the kingdom when he was a little boy, he would talk to flowers because he didn`t have a buddy to play with. How interesting…  
  
He smiled and with a soft ‘thunk’ placed the crystal in the jar.  
  
He continued reading, “Then, cover with salt to protect and cleanse. Salt has a strong protective energy; it keeps the spell energized and strong. Basically, salt is the best friend you can have”, Skeppy poured some salt crystals in,  
they rustled quietly.  
“Pinch some rosemary needles into the jar. But take only the ones that want to go with you!”  
Skeppy reached to pinch a needle and tilted his head to it in question. It fell into his hand instantly.  
“Seal the jar with wax, minding your intent”. The flame of the candle lit Skeppy`s eyes painting them orange. He took it out of its lacy stand.  
He thought of the shadow figure and tried his best to draw out its curves.  
He could really use some clarity.  
Little stripes of wax, like tears, dripped down the jar.  
The candle blew itself out. Goosebumps tickled Skeppy`s skin.  
  
The boy’s heart fluttered in his chest.  
The tips of his fingers stung gently with heat. His breathing settled.  
It was just him and his intent.  
Within, he felt peace.  
He looked at the little jar in his hands as if it was the most precious treasure.  
It was his treasure. And he was going to protect it.  
  
As the front door creaked, light filled the room again.  
  
\- You can bury it in the ground or place it somewhere you like in the forest, - Bad suggested.  
Skeppy hugged the jar to his chest, pouting.  
  
The witcher laughed: - You can keep it too, stingy!  
  
He looked at Skeppy from the corner of his eye, just one last time...  
  
There he was, a little lanky, with his messy hair and an oversized cyan sweater.  
Laying on the bed, he wiggled his legs in the air, while writing down the recipe for the spell in his journal. Beautiful chocolate brown eyes. A cozy aura…  
‘He has a perfect waist for hugs…’ Halo blushed at his own thought.  
It felt so right to have him here. This human truly was adorable.  
  
  
One evening, when Skeppy was getting back from wandering around, he was lured into the hut by delicious smells.  
Inside, Bad was circling around the furnace, cooking something that made Skeppy tingle with anticipation.  
  
\- Hi!!! Wash your hands, dinner is almost ready! – the witcher smiled to his friend, straightening creases on his orange apron.  
The furnace was tall and wide, one heart-shaped window being a smelter, the other an oven. Above, there was a cozy stove corner. Just enough place for shelves that held little wooden jars that Skeppy made, some hid spices.  
Skeppy was impressed with the great work and detail that build this place.  
Wherever he looked, every day he found some new beauty.  
‘Bad`s hands really are golden.’ Skeppy smiled to himself.  
On the stove, stood a big cauldron with boiling stew in it.  
It was thick and rumbled softly. Bad stirred it clockwise, humming quiet chants.  
  
\- You know, Skeppy, that cooking is magical too? – he said as he crackled seeds out of a wither flower. His glasses got cloudy from steam.  
  
Skeppy hummed, interested: - It does make sense, you intend to cook something, use herbs and all sorts of stuff and they make yummy food!  
  
\- Yup! That`s why this is my favorite kind of magic. It`s the most delicious one!  
The boys snickered together and poked each other`s sides playfully.  
Bad crushed down a salt crystal with a wooden spoon, crunching. He stirred the salt into the mixture. It bubbled in response.  
He pulled on some woolen gloves and opened the oven - the furnace`s chest.  
It was red and heating. “Muffins!” He cheered happily and took out a tray of pastry. It`s sweet smell filled the whole hut, making the two boys laugh.  
  
\- Okay, could you set the table, pretty please? – Bad did puppy eyes to the younger boy.  
  
Skeppy unfolded the beige tablecloth and knocked with clay plates and pots, setting the table.  
Bad placed the steaming cauldron in the middle of the table and poured the stew into little round bowls. On the plates, he cut up muffins, berries, and chorus fruit. He placed a jar of lavender syrup near too. Everything smelled  
absolutely amazing. Skeppy was sure he had never seen a dinner better than this. Tears glimmered in his eyes. He looked at Bad in disbelief ‘This grace is edible?!’, the witcher pulled out a chair for him and the boy almost  
fainted into his seat. They sat down together. Bad poured some water into cups and nodded to Skeppy.  
  
\- This is a mushroom stew with potatoes. The harvest has been small this year, so you better enjoy it! – he laughed shyly.  
  
\- AAAAAA! Thank you, Bad!! This looks incredible!  
– he took a wooden spoon and sipped the hot stew. It was thick and rich with flavor. Skeppy couldn`t tear himself away from it! Then he tried the muffins, they were fluffy and juicy from the butter was melting on them. When he  
tried them, they were soft as little clouds and melted in his mouth. He poured some lavender syrup on them, a few flower buds were in there too, but Skeppy liked the bitterness.  
  
It all tasted so flavorsome and delicious, that Skeppy nearly forgot his name. He had no doubt in Bad anymore. It would be foolish to not trust a person who cooks this well.  
He almost cried then and there.  
The food was weighty on the boy`s stomach, making him sleepy.  
  
All of this, this was Bad.  
Soft wool, sweet muffins, hoards of glimmery crystals, the shuffling of books.  
Calming gentleness that envelopes you like a blanket.  
His presence was healing.  
This was his energy.  
  
  
That`s how the boys got to know each other better,  
enjoying fall weekdays together.  
But, there still was an unsolved mystery trailing behind them,  
pressuring more and more.  
  
  
Skeppy warned Halo of the pressuring presence many times, but the witcher stayed ignorant of it all up to a moment, where ignorance was not an option.  
  
It was a cloudy day, which meant the forest was ruled by darkness.  
Skeppy`s lips were swollen and hurt from his teeth nibbling over them.  
He was anxious all day, tortured by the visions of the masked stranger.  
He sat on the floor, hiding in his sweater, thirsting for the heat of a flame that crinkled in the furnace. Sometimes it would touch his reaching hands, but mostly he shivered from cold.  
  
\- Skeppy! Oh-my-goodness! You`re going to freeze your rump off on that floor! – Halo grumbled as he placed a puffy blanket over him, - I`ll make you some tea… wait up, I have to grab some water.  
  
\- Bad, wait! – the boy grabbed him by his shirt.  
  
The witcher turned to Skeppy. The boy`s face was full of worry.  
  
\- I`m feeling this… heaviness again, please, stay! – he kept pulling Bad by the shirt, trying to keep him away from the evil that steamed outside their cozy home.  
  
Bad knew of his worries. Bad knew the cause of them,  
and he couldn`t stand him suffering anymore.  
  
‘I have to take them out…otherwise, the suffering will be endless’  
  
\- Skeppy…I`m just going to check outside.  
  
\- No! Bad! You can`t! – Skeppy`s grip hardened. His big eyes pleaded desperately.  
  
\- Sweetheart, if we don`t check, we will never know. – Bad got down on his knees beside Skeppy, giving him a sad look.  
  
\- I`m sorry this touched you…  
  
Halo pulled up his hood and  
left.  
  
\- Sweetheart, sweetheart, sweetheart… - Skeppy kept mumbling, trying it out on his tongue. These words sounded so empty from the man, so…reserved.  
  
He hated it.  
He hated that he left.  
Something was going on.  
The small fire in the furnace grew fierce and heating.  
Skeppy stood up and left too.  
  
  
Halo followed where his heart led him.  
He knew that he was hunted. He knew it in the same way as when the victim feels the dread of their predator. Somewhere in the guts.  
Scarlet leaves under his feet looked like a blood trail.  
Nothing but darkness surrounded him.  
He stopped suddenly, waiting.  
  
The air was torn with a cling of a sword.  
Someone jumped down from a tree, right behind the witcher.  
There he was, the man in the golden chest plate, the man in the mask.  
A familiar poncho with an ultramarine blue cross.  
Halo was confident all up to this moment.  
Now that he confronted this shadow, what shall he do?  
Now that he met his punishment - what can he do?  
He squinted; these cursed ponchos reminded him of his friends, of his home.  
‘I miss them so much’  
  
The soldier pulled his sword to Halo`s slim throat.  
His hand trembled.  
Did he doubt?  
  
Skeppy ran as fast as he could trying to feel out, to sniff out Bad.  
The cold air scratched and burned his lungs,  
but he did not spare a second to calm down.  
  
He saw two figures in the distance, Bad stood frozen under an attack of someone.  
‘Why isn`t he moving?!’ Skeppy`s thoughts screamed.  
He tackled the strange figure, throwing all his weight onto it.  
This energy, the presence, the mask! It was them!  
The figure rose it`s gloved hand. An ender pearl shone against leather.  
They threw it and disappeared.  
Only leaving a little wooden box behind.  
It had some buttons on it. Skeppy pressed one.  
  
  
The two boys called Red and Ant to share their latest discovery.  
They gathered in Bad`s greenhouse.  
The sun was setting behind rainclouds, casting huge shadows on the sky.  
The four boys were sitting among sweating flowers.  
Red looked at the box confused, Ant`s ears twitched.  
Skeppy pressed a button.  
A young male voice rang out of the box, distorted and torn.  
  
“Log №1  
I`ve arrived at the woods. Set camp…a little cramped, but I`ll get used to it, ha-ha!  
It`s already clear that one regiment won`t be enough to transform this place.  
In fact, not even two or three will help.  
Yeah, sure, the wood is thick and strong, but the roots are completely unbreakable.”  
  
Skeppy pressed another button.  
  
“Log №2  
I`m scheming a machine that could bear the work,  
but I know for sure that I won`t raise a proper foundation from His Highness.  
Even at the planning stage, it`s clear that the project is running ahead of its time. What a pity!”  
  
“Log №3  
The life in this place… differs from ours.  
The myths were not lying. Beasts do live in this place… I`ve never been interested in biology which I greatly regret now because I can`t find a scientific explanation for the things I`ve seen.”  
  
“Log №4  
I`ve tracked down the subject today.  
I`ve heard of the reason behind their exile,  
But…I never thought it was the real one.  
While observing, I`ve noticed how they`re doing things contradicting the established laws of physics. Somehow… they`re bending the fabric of the world…it`s…I…it really does seem unexplainable. It seems…magical.”  
  
“Log №5  
I`ve talked to Admiral Dream about the machine and he loved my idea!  
He promised that he will gladly fund the project from his own pocket.  
I can`t believe his generosity…he is a lovely man.  
B-but… with all the things I`ve seen in the forest, I wonder…could I simplify the building process by learning the ways of this land?”  
  
“Log №6  
I had to observe the subject again. They seem like they know this world well.  
But I found out that they have allies. This will complicate my mission.”  
  
“Log №7  
I`m getting off-track.  
But I don`t think I can be blamed! Every day here seems like a new step for science.  
I can`t prove anything for sure, but I observe and theorize.  
It`s addicting.  
The subject and their friends are so curious to me…and I found myself hesitating to execute them. They might be the only ones to give me answers.  
I`m… conflicted.”  
  
With a loud beep, the voice disappeared.  
  
Ant and Red looked at each other, shocked, and then looked at Bad and Skeppy hungering for an explanation.  
  
\- What was that?! – they exclaimed together, their voices fusing.  
  
Darkness fell upon Halo`s gentle face. Skeppy was shocked too.  
  
\- Dream wants to conquer the forest… - Bad`s voice creaked bitterly. He hid behind his antlers.  
  
\- Listen, Bad - Antfrost took his friend`s shaking hands with care, - they are not here yet. We can think of something.  
  
He offered each boy a look.  
The determined gaze of his blue eyes was cleansing, grounding.  
They still had time to figure out a solution.  
  
\- This voice said that they don`t have the tools, to begin with, their operation, right? – Red joined in.  
  
\- And he said that he is interested in us! Maybe we can ask for his help! – Ant pointed out.  
  
\- Bad, you are related to Admiral Dream, right? Maybe you could reach out to him…through this man? – Skeppy said, placing a hand on his shoulder.  
  
Bad came out of the touch. He leaned on the fence that separated the greenhouse from the ocean of tree leaves. That stung Skeppy`s heart.  
  
\- This man was hunting me… Dream wants him to execute me…  
  
\- I knew it! I felt an odd energy following you! – Ant hissed, but then frowned deeply, - I`m sorry, Bad, I knew that yet I didn`t protect you…  
  
Bad smiled a little: - Skeppy saved me. – he said, treating Skeppy with a playful look.  
  
“Ooh~” Ant curled his tail teasingly and Red nodded completely unimpressed.  
They broke the tension with some heartfelt laughs.  
  
\- How did you get a man trapped in a box? What kind of spell is that? – Ant quirked an eyebrow at the two human boys.  
  
No idea… ask some smart humans. – Skeppy huffed out a laugh.  
  
\- Science? – Bad shook his shoulders.  
  
\- What`s science? – Red asked them with pure confusion.  
  
\- Honey, even I know this one… - Ant said quite disappointed.  
  
  
The sun shone out its last light, disappearing beyond the horizon.  
  
\- Guys, the next time you feel this science man - gather up. – Ant said as Red was aiming to throw an ender pearl into the leaves.  
  
The ginger man whipped the air with a strong blow of his hand.  
Quickly, he pulled the cat boy into a heated kiss, and in a moment, they disappeared.  
  
  
Nights were always peaceful and cozy in the witch-hut.  
  
After a long day of work, they could finally relax and let go of worry.  
  
Many things happened that day,  
but just like any other day, the two boys prepared for sleep.  
  
Halo slept in his velvety armchair and Skeppy took the floral bedsheets.  
Pretty simple, rinse out their mouth with hot rosemary water,  
puff out the pillows, and fall into sleep.  
  
Sometimes, they would chat and chuckle quietly all night.  
  
But not tonight, Bad fell asleep instantly.  
Skeppy felt a little lonely. The cozy bedsheets were unusually cold this night, as he was staring at the dark, chewing all the things that happened tonight.  
Something terrible was on the horizon, but, at least the mysteries unwinded.  
‘Did my spell work?’ His head hurt.  
  
Sniffle-sniffle.  
Skeppy perked up. He looked at his friend.  
He was holding himself tightly, suppressing his cries.  
The boy`s heart ached, ‘He doesn’t deserve this…’  
\- Come here, Bad. – he whispered, raising up the weighty blanket, inviting his friend.  
  
The witcher suddenly let out a sorrow whine.  
Skeppy took his hand and dragged him closer.  
He was cold. Skeppy hugged him really close, squished him tightly to his heart. Maybe the light in his heart will warm him up? Skeppy knew for sure that it beats fast for the witcher.  
  
\- Want to share? – Skeppy softly pat his friend's back. He cried so…so pitifully.  
Sour sobs rang out of his shaking chest.  
\- You can always tell me, Bad, - Skeppy pecked his cheek gently. It was salty from tears.  
  
\- S-geppy… - he hugged the human boy back, barely holding onto him, - I-I'm so sorry…  
He rocked Bad gently back and forth.  
\- Skeppy…I messed up… - his voice was sour.  
Back and forth…  
\- All of you are getting hurt because of me.  
Skeppy`s heart couldn`t take these bitter words.  
He cried into Skeppy`s chest.  
\- That is not true, Bad. You are not the one who wants us down, right? – he whispered into his ear.  
  
\- But I am the one who made them feel this way…I…my friends…I – he mumbled, choking on his cries.  
  
Skeppy shooed him, petting his shoulders and arms gently.  
\- You are the kindest person I`ve ever met. You could have not done wrong. And even if you did, you should forgive yourself, because you did not mean harm, right? – the boy said quietly, but confidently.  
  
\- B-but I betrayed them, Skeppy…good people don`t do that! – Halo backed away from his chest, offering him a desperate look.  
  
Skeppy pursed his lips with sadness. He remembered the dream and how he was thrown out of the kingdom. ‘They didn`t even hold a trial’ his stormy brows furrowed angrily. No. He had to stay calm for Bad.  
  
\- You did nothing wrong, buddy, - Skeppy pulled him closer again.  
  
He whispered silent comforts to him:  
\- You are a wonderful person, you are kind, caring, loving,  
  
\- So why would you blame yourself for these evils?  
  
\- Forgive yourself, because no one blames you…  
  
\- You are…precious…enchanting  
  
\- Heh.  
  
\- You are so easy to love Bad…  
  
These words were thick and sweet like honey, coating Bad`s soul like a healing balm. He placed his hands on Skeppy`s waist. He smiled. Just like he thought…  
It was so warm and cozy,  
holding each other tenderly in the soft bed like this, huddled and hidden in fluffy blankets.  
They fell asleep cuddling.  
\- Tomorrow…we will fix everything.  
  
  
Bulky hands pushed closed the blue stained glass,  
hiding the lanky old stone house behind it. You could still trace the shape of its triangular copper roof.  
The hands pulled up a dark green velvet curtain, dooming his room to gloomy darkness.  
The flame in a little marble fireplace crackled quietly, caressing the figure of a young man.  
Wide strong jawline, but soft puffy cheeks, furrowed brows, but kind eyes…  
Sapnap was an interesting boy.  
He untied a bandage on his head, letting streaks of raven black hair hide him.  
The sleeves of his snow-white shirt were clipped with a pretty cobalt button.  
A royal cross.  
His broad chest was tightened with a west, a simple blue suit.  
He sat in a simple room, oak floors, brick walls,  
A little lacy coffee-table. Nothing interesting.  
The man was clearly troubled, pouting his lips.  
He rose a hand to the collar of his shirt, twisting it between his fingers.  
Hesitantly, he slid under and took out a strange necklace.  
It was a simple string of silk, with a tiny jar tied to it.  
He looked at it with a heavenly smile.  
‘Green opal, lemon zest, and ginger dust…’  
The jar shone against the soft crackling fire.  
  
Suddenly, a heavy door opened with a painfully loud creak letting in the freezing wind.  
Another young man stepped in.  
He wore a blue crossed poncho and a green leather cloak, with stormy fur at its rim.  
Gracious.  
Contradicting to the wealthy clothes, his pointy boots were dirty and torn.  
The most interesting part about him was his mask, a piece of leather that enveloped his skin. Waves of blond hair poked out.  
  
\- Dream! – Sapnap gasped.  
  
The man ripped off his mask, revealing his angry hazel eyes.  
  
\- I just don`t understand why you hold onto that…thing… - his voice was full of fiery youth.  
  
He hung his cloak on the curvy hanger. The ultramarine poncho shimmered perfectly on his strong shoulders.  
  
\- Well, I don`t understand why you`re bitter, Dream. - Sapnap smiled gently.  
  
\- He betrayed us, remember? – Dream mumbled sarcastically as he sunk down into the leather couch beside his friend.  
  
\- I chose to remember the best of him, - Sapnap nodded at him, stating his words strictly.  
  
\- The best of him? So, you keep the thing that corrupted him? – Dream interrogated the necklace.  
  
\- When he gave it to me…he held it so lovingly… remember how much he loved us? – Sapnap shot a piercing look at him.  
  
Dream was startled. He looked away.  
  
\- Why are you so bitter, Dream? – Sapnap asked pitifully...ghostly love trembled in his voice.  
  
Dream suddenly exploded, yelling:  
  
\- Because he hurt us! He hurt…me! - Fire danced in his eyes wildly.  
  
He left, but the words still echoed sharply against the beige walls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU FOR READING!
> 
> who am I kidding no one read this
> 
> this fic is free witchcraft lessons at this point :D 
> 
> does anyone have advice for better dialogue? my skills are rusty...


	4. hidden hypothesis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> is this me posting finally?!  
> I'm sorry for the long wait I've been to mars and back
> 
> AN AMAZING MUFFIN MADE ME A FANART! //medibang.com/picture/x02101090953326720013077628/  
> YOU CAN FIND THEM ON IG AT @_froot_loot_
> 
> basically, I have not been fricking around all this time - I planned out this whole story to the end!  
> lol I'm also very big brain because I waited until sam will face reveal to describe him here :D  
> this chapter in particular is inspired by an album Mother Earth`s Plantasia  
> enjoy!

  
It was a foggy winter morning, peaceful as a cold cup of water, as a crystal of selenite when Halo was snipping, cutting, and sawing together some mysterious surprise for his human friend.  
He was fumbling with fabric, making it swish like a leather snake.  
Sometimes it would tighten when he pierced a pin through it, pushing down a silver needle through the soft material.  
His artful fingers played around,  
each little motion easy and lighthearted.  
Just a little hopping dance of poking in petite stitches.  
Pinkish, these fingers blushed as if they belonged to a little boy.  
Skeppy was so comfortable in this soft song of sewing.  
  
\- Phewe, Fkeppy, fheck out fwat I made for you! – Halo mumbled with a safety pin between his lips, while tinkering with all the different instruments on the table: pins, blades, thread, silk.  
  
\- Imagine if you swallow that. – Skeppy smiled playfully and took out the piece of copper, pinning it to his friend`s orange apron. He quirked his expressive eyebrow at the witcher – awaiting.  
  
Bad grabbed his craft from the table and hid his hands behind his back. Playful too! Giggles shook out of his chest cutely.  
A shy blush painted his pale cheeks as he handed Skeppy a folded cyan leather.  
Skeppy`s eyes shone, he smiled excitedly at Bad. What could this be?  
A cyan cloak. With two layers of leather, one hanging loose from the shoulder area, the other sawn perfectly to envelop Skeppy`s chest area. With a hood of course! There was a little silly face sawn into it… just like…  
  
\- Just like the one on my sweater!  
  
Bad shook his shoulders shyly. He hid behind his antlers, giggling.  
Something tightened in Skeppy`s chest. There was a small silly face on his old sweater, just above his heart. It was hard to notice. Skeppy was glad Bad noticed. The boy pulled it on swiftly. A beautiful young man appeared in the  
silvery mirror.  
  
\- Ooh~ handsome! – Bad cheered as Skeppy spun around, showing off his present.  
Skeppy pulled on his hood, smiling with the silly face. Another pretty smile poked out from the bottom too…  
  
Skeppy has never been in love before.  
Heh! Love! He knew of it only as the magical word on crusty pages of fairytale books.  
But wasn`t Bad magical?  
Skeppy decided to check. He walked up to the witcher with two little steps, and simply lay his head on his shoulder.  
He listened.  
  
Thud. Thud.  
  
Slowly their hearts knocked against each other. Warm and welcoming.  
But…not quite there yet?  
Skeppy knew that Bad was the right kind of person to fall in love with.  
He laughed and nuzzled into their neck heartfeltly.  
He`s probably going to soon.  
  
Bad`s face burned bright blushing. He couldn`t resist a heartache, tiny, like a streak of a falling star. A wish.  
He wanted to lean his head atop of Skeppy`s.  
But, Skeppy already jumped back with a joyous laugh and in a moment, ran out of the hut altogether.  
‘What a muffin head’  
  
  
  
They went outside for the daily forest cleanse.  
A mesmerizing picture, like a white lace crochet spread out for them.  
The forest was covered in frozen raindrops, tiny crystals that reflected light in a soft glimmer. Everything around was nipped by the frost, jingling and crinkling. Limber streaks of wind caressed the boys’ faces, making them  
blush angelically.  
  
Skeppy spun around laughing, yearning to soak in this ethereal beauty.  
Bad`s lips tickled, he couldn`t resist smiling when looking at him.  
  
They ran on their path, talking about nothing and everything until they noticed something shook in the leaves.  
Two blue eyes shone among the tall grass. A cat waddled its way through it, crunching frost with its paws. Ice twinkled on its soft beige fur.  
The human boy waved at it, childishly frenzied!  
  
\- Hey, Ant! How is the cleanse on the west side? Are you finished? – Skeppy`s friendly smile was frozen by the cat`s sad gaze.  
\- What happened, buddy? – Bad mirrored the sadness with his big green eyes.  
  
Antfrost turned around and wiggled his tail, luring the boys after him.  
The white tall grass surrounded them, huddling them under a little cap of snow.  
Ornaments and patterns of ice crystals made them feel… drowsy?  
The path to Red`s swamp looked unrecognizable like this!  
  
  
  
The swamp itself was unrecognizable too.  
The cleansing wet air felt unusually heavy - pressing harsh, drowning the lungs of the young men with dread.  
The boys gasped.  
Heavy black roses coated the ground heartlessly, groping and strangling it with dark roots. Everything around bloomed and blossomed with death.  
  
A ginger head poked out of the little pond. The cat came up to the shore, and stood there, his tiny body filled with melancholy.  
The ginger head swam up closer. Millions of freckles...  
Red bumped his nose into the kitties.  
They nodded to each other; their love language was a true mystery.  
  
\- C`mere boys, wacha staring at! – Red`s laugh was hoarse, fighting to save its passionate youth.  
  
Even though the dark flowers blossomed sickly against his pale skin, he tried hard to gift his friends a smile.  
  
\- All of this grew out overnight?! – Skeppy threw his head around, clearly worried.  
  
The boy tried pinching a rose, but couldn`t, even using all of his strength. It held onto the ground with a deadly grip.  
Chills ran down Skeppy`s spine, he couldn`t believe this!  
\- Why is the corruption so bad here!? The eastern part of the forest is fine! - The boy was becoming frustrated...no one answered him.  
  
He looked at Bad for a moment.  
The witcher held up a hand to his chin, thinking. Who knew what was brewing in his mind?  
He radiated worry. It made Skeppy`s chest clench, vibrate.  
  
\- Red, are you going to be okay if we leave for a little? I think I know how to help you, - the witcher said as he kneeled beside the ginger and placed a hand on his forehead.  
  
\- Bad I`m fine! I`m sure I can cleanse all of this out! I have all the tools to help me! – his smile made him wrinkle in pain, so he dove down, throwing some shiny rocks and glass in the air.  
  
The cat huffed pitifully.  
  
\- Red, I don`t think you can, even with Ant`s help, I…I`m sorry.  
  
\- Bad, look at me, - Red`s voice was gentle and collected, - this is not your fault, okay? – His eyes, even though always determined and passionate, also glimmered with sadness.  
  
Ant stayed silent, his gaze didn`t say much.  
They could really use some words.  
Skeppy signed heavily…if only he could ask.  
  
  
  
There was a little snowflake on Bad’s eyelash.  
  
\- Skeppy, we`re going to get the trident. – He took his friend`s hand and nodded in the direction. Even on an unusual day like this, his scarred hand was still warm.  
Ice creaked gently under their feet as they slid and sneaked through frozen dips and cliffs.  
Skeppy wasn`t familiar with what a trident is,  
so, he asked politely about it.  
  
\- A trident is a sort of…magical artifact. It's the heart of all water in the woods. Every pond, every stream, every drop obeys it. – he hesitated before adding in, - Cleansing with water might be the easiest way to cure Red.  
  
Soon, Skeppy recognized the path. They came to the light ponds!  
  
The area looked a little different – the beacons of blinding light turned soft and tiny snowy dust circled around gently in the mist. The ponds were covered with a thin layer of crunchy ice.  
Bad jumped down into a cave that was hidden in the monstrous roots of trees.  
Skeppy jumped after him, his boots hitting a water surface, gently splattering it.  
It was like they stepped into another world. The cuts of the cave were sharp and graceful, with water gently streaming down them. The ground was painted into a perfect water surface mirroring a graceful royal trident.  
The water riffled gently under their boots as they walked up to the artifact.  
A tall, ruby wand shone majestically leaking and pouring its light into three sharp blades. They were curving and rolling in a shape of tangled vines.  
It stood frozen, admiring its own reflection.  
Skeppy`s lips parted a little, in awe...'It's so shiny and graceful'  
  
With a loud cling, a gloved hand fell on the trident.  
The shadow.  
  
Skeppy and Bad shared a bothered look.  
Rushing to help their friend Red, they completely forgot about their foe.  
  
The stranger`s golden chest plate looked like a sunset.  
He swiftly lashed out a sword, a thin steel blade.  
It`s ultramarine blue hilt curved into a cross.  
The witcher lashed out his sword in response, to Skeppy`s notice, it looked exactly the same as his opponent`s.  
  
The two men stood facing each other, their swords reflecting one another.  
  
\- A duel for the trident. – Halo stated simply, his gentle face furrowing at the man.  
  
The man nodded. His mask looked terrific with its morphed monstrous face.  
Bad looked at Skeppy with a determined, flaming gaze, burning through him with contradicting soft worry and care.  
Skeppy moved back and watched the fight happen.  
  
The two men puffed out their chests and rose their swords up, both determined to win.  
Swiftly, they leaned in together, throwing the first strike.  
The two swords hit each other with a deafening cling that rang out and echoed in the cave, riffling the water.  
1…2…3…  
Halo`s sword creaked sourly against the foe blade as he pushed it down, trying to make his opponent defenseless.  
The masked man reversed the position by sliding his blade under Bad`s and pushing up.  
The witcher jumped away, splashing the water loudly, and threw another blow, that the masked man met immediately.  
  
Skeppy watched the duel holding in his breath.  
He has never seen swordfight before, and he was glad that he never learned of it.  
Each cry of the two swords rang loudly in his poor little ears. He feared of every swing, each creak echoed in his heart with horror. His big eyes pleaded for Bad to be safe.  
  
In less than a second, the masked man rotated his sword and whipped it at the witcher.  
Bad countered the attack flawlessly,  
but something in the way his opponent held his sword,  
something in the way his body heat radiated, clashing his,  
something in the way his muscles twitched,  
made him loosen his grip and submit to the foe.  
A memory.  
  
Red sand in their mouths, in their noses,  
Muscles rolled around in their broad shoulders,  
as they clashed their nibbled blades.  
A happy, youthful laugh sang against the walls of his mind:  
  
\- Finally, Bad! Our dream almost came true!  
  
He knew this memory vividly. He knew he stood just outside the kingdom wall.  
He knew what he was going to say.  
  
\- Don`t show off, Dream! You know I always say this, but swordfights are short, they are the moment of asserting dominance. – his voice was creaky…heh…unusually.  
  
\- But aren`t you excited? We`re finally going to be happy together! – Dream`s voice was beautiful but distant, ghostly.  
  
Together…that word haunted him. It was as if he really was there.  
He could hear Sapnap and George in the distance, fighting for their turn with the blades like little kids.  
Bad`s chest seized in pure sorrow.  
  
He opened his eyes and saw the man grunting in front of him, trying to pull his blade down.  
His heart tightened and squeezed, lit up with anger.  
He grabbed the foe`s blade with his bare hand and pulled it up,  
loosening his opponent’s grip on the blue tilt.  
With his other hand, he clashed his sword onto the tilt and knocked it out of his foe`s glove.  
It flew away into the water and dissolved in an angry splash.  
  
‘I`m not going to lose any friends anymore’  
  
The water riffled furiously for a while, but in a few moments, it calmed down and stilled.  
Skeppy breathed in abundantly, waves of cold air intoxicated him.  
  
\- Sorry, Sir, but I need this trident for a nice reason. – Bad whispered, looking back at Skeppy, smiling comfortingly.  
  
The foe stood completely still…  
Until…something fell on his head!  
A furry ball of a cat fell on his face suddenly,  
The man screamed in horror, clearly not happy with this occurrence.  
Bad came up to him hesitantly, grabbing the cat by the scruff:  
  
\- Do you want to see what the trident does? – his voice was hoarse, hesitant. The dazed man simply nodded.  
Ant bit Bad`s hand, pressing harshly with his sharp teeth. They had to hurry up.  
  
  
  
Their shoes beat the ground angrily as they ran and ran deeper into the black flower bed.  
As the boys ran into the familiar creaky concert of frogs, heavy air slammed into their lungs, squeezing their hearts unmercifully.  
  
The cat froze in his place, two tiny paws pulling back.  
  
Red, pale and thin lay on the shore, his lacy dress splattered on the dead still water.  
His hazel eyes looked fainted, where was his youthful fire?  
Ginger freckles dissolved in his sick skin, in dirty water.  
  
He gasped for air politely as the black roses gently strangled him.  
  
Arrows of pity pierced through his friend’s chests.  
It startled Skeppy with how fiercely Halo pulled up the trident above his head.  
The witcher furrowed, his peaceful face wrinkling with anger: "Obey!" he said.  
  
But it didn't obey. Nothing happened.  
  
Everyone faced Bad in anticipation silently, not even breathing.  
  
\- You don’t have to, you know? - Red huffed out, forcing out a smile.  
  
Bad pouted and threw the trident in the air once more. Nothing happened.  
  
\- I don't think you can do anything about this... - the ginger giggled the air out his lungs, breathing in... lazily.  
  
Bad rose his hand, again and again,  
scrunching his face at the sour words,  
but nothing happened.  
  
\- What...what can we do against humans? - suddenly Red frowned.  
  
These words felt even heavier than the wet air, pinching and tugging at their ears.  
Antfrost meowed sadly, creakily.  
  
Bad rose his hand, even more, shaking his head dismissively.  
\- I-I can't, - he whined out, - I can't do anything!  
With one last raise it trembled, so dazed Skeppy reached to calm down his friend,  
but the trident fell right into his palm.  
  
Halo hid his face in his hands, Red turned away,  
only Antfrost gazed at Skeppy with his eyes, sad pieces of the sky. It seemed they were lost, it seemed they were…  
  
Skeppy nodded to his friends. He felt.  
Sadness, confusion, hopelessness. No thoughts tied together in the haze of their tiny minds. The sour scent of roses soaked in, clouding and hiding any reason. He knew how it was…  
  
He gently put the red trident up to his core, somewhere there was beating a living heart.  
  
Thud-thud...  
  
It knew better than him, no matter how lost he was, it was persistent to beat, to hope, to live.  
  
He smiled and rose the trident, up into the air, above his messy head.  
He was a little silly, not knowing what to do,  
he shared his intention:  
  
\- There is always a solution to any problem, - the tips of his fingers tickled with familiar heat, the smooth ruby wand made waves of burning cold stream through his veins, - For now we just have to heal and make up our mind  
about everything.  
  
The boy gave everyone a firm nod: - Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.  
  
The water of the pond silently riffled and a few drops jumped up into the air.  
  
Slowly, the stale water flowed up, streaming with gentle little streaks. Tiny streamlets morphed together into bubbles.  
It felt as if time stopped when the boys looked up at the sight. Clear bubbles, like round mirrors, sealed away hundreds of black roses in their reflections.  
  
Skeppy's nostrils tickled, it got colder.  
Frost politely dressed the bubbles with a crusty peel of ice, as the lacy crochet crawled up onto them.  
A drop of cold fell onto Skeppy's nose, it scrunched.  
He pulled the trident down to his chest once more, shyly smiling.  
  
The water ascended onto the ground and whispering, chanting Skeppy's spell,  
flowed into the tormented soil  
and broke down the poison soaked somewhere between the grains, cleansing the swamp.  
  
The garden of black roses crumbled into ashes and melted in the air.  
  
Bad's green eyes peeked from between his hands.  
One by one, tiny frogs jumped out on the shore,  
shaking their chests together they looked like a pile of colorful fall leaves.  
They marched up to Skeppy, so he crouched down to meet them.  
'Heh...he looks like a froggy too' the witcher smiled a little.  
  
The tiniest one crawled up his petite knees. It fit perfectly on his fingernail. The boy giggled, it tickled him like a slimy little kiss!  
  
He pat it gently, and to his surprise, it opened its mouth revealing a gorgeous green pearl.  
It was shining with gentle waves of rich green color, so fragrant that it seemed black.  
The frog spat out the pearl into his lanky hand and hopped away.  
At once, they all jumped into the water beside Red.  
  
\- Thank you, Skeppy. - he smiled simply.  
  
Antfrost bumped into the human's leg, murmuring gratefully.  
  
They all stood in silence, calming down their breath.  
  
\- Guys, how about dinner? - Bad scratched the skin near his antlers, everyone nodded in agreement at him, - Oh, we have a guest today! - he tapped himself, giggling wackily at the sudden realization.  
  
The boys turned at the man in the golden chest plate.  
  
  
  
The hut felt unfamiliarly crowded with all the boys inside.  
The dancing flame of the furnace painted it orange, jiggly shadows danced on the walls, expressive.  
Red leaned on the back of his chair lazily, the wood grit. The cat jumped in his lap, warmly tapping his four paws before he cuddled into the lacy dress, purring.  
Right in front of them sat quietly - the masked man.  
  
\- Don`t be shy to introduce yourself! – Bad`s face was somehow pleasantly tired, a gentle smile rested on his lips. It reminded Skeppy of a numb warmth in your blood after a nice nap, - We know you need us for something.  
  
The man unbuttoned his mask – three copper buttons over his nape.  
Skeppy could hear each button jingle.  
  
\- Sam, the royal scientist, - a kind, gravelly voice.  
The mask fell into leather gloves with a “thump”,  
revealing a gravy outline of a young face, with a gruffer forehead but soft red cheeks and small, but exquisitely kind green eyes. Two big dots birthmarks stood right above them. His lips were round and puffy, tickled with a  
restrained smile. Ripples of bristles lived on his long chin, unshaven.  
  
Skeppy huddled behind Bad, very skeptical of their new guest. He decided to join Bad in cooking.  
  
Tiny crackles lived behind white-hot metal doors. Bad dropped in a fruit log.  
Soon the hut whined pleasantly with a sweet earthy smell.  
Water bubbled against the cast-iron, Skeppy`s favorite sound.  
  
Red, a little dazed with Sam`s beauty, joked: - Should we even introduce ourselves? You`ve done enough stalking!  
  
\- I`m sorry… - Sam`s face immediately fell in a frown, - I did not spread any information, your identities are safe, but it was still insensitive of me…  
Antfrost`s ear twitched, slowly he turned into his human self. Sam pouted in surprise while Red`s content smile snuggled into his lover`s neck.  
Ant grabbed a bent fork and interrogated the scientist, sharp eyebrows pointing together in anger, - Then why did you try to kill Bad?! What for are you here? – he hissed.  
\- Shh, calm down, kitten - Red pat gently behind his lover`s ear. Ant blushed heavily but still searched for an explanation.  
  
\- I'm here because I was assigned to a specific mission. – Sam swallowed nervously.  
  
Halo pricked up his ears artfully, giving into the story as he swiftly cut up vegetables:  
He took out a sharp knife from his belt and sliced up some fresh cabbage in thin stripes, crunching.  
Then, he peeled a big onion, it fit weighty in his palm and cut it as its sour juices painted the curvy blade. Skeppy hid his face in his paws because the scent bit him at the eyes, filled with pure respect to the witcher`s resistance  
to this evil.  
Bad smiled at him gently, something so pure hid between his smile lines. Skeppy sniffed in a cinnamony smell.  
Crunch! The witcher sliced a clove of garlic and put everything in a wooden bowl.  
A conversation was nothing but a shadow behind him, quiet mumbling.  
  
\- Admiral Dream assigned me to measure what kind of resources he will need to invade this land.  
  
\- Invade?  
  
\- Yes, Admiral Dream wants to claim the forest to the kingdom and terraform it, banishing all the harmful wildlife.  
  
Skeppy turned back at a shuffle.  
  
\- We guessed of that from your...notes, - Discontent Antfrost pushed a wooden box to its owner, - but what does Bad have to do with this?  
\- My recorder! You saved it! - Sam cradled the machine in his gloves happily, but then locked eyes with his unhappy opponent, - Dream also gave me a side order to hunt down Halo if possible…  
  
The witcher tensed at the words.  
He took out a tiny barrel. Flour. He drummed some soft powder onto the cutting board. Skeppy pressed down his fingertips into the softness, painting them white.  
Bad whacked him playfully and poured in a drop of water, stretching and pulling it into some sour dough.  
  
\- Did he really want that?!  
  
\- I-I'm honestly not sure... But I know clearly, I wouldn't do harm to you!  
  
\- What do you need us for?  
  
\- Well...for my personal research I suppose...I’ve noticed the things you do, the unexplainable...magic.  
  
\- You want to learn of it? Didn’t you enderpearl away from us?  
  
\- All this time I followed you only because I was trying to wrap my mind around the concept of your...practice! I’ve heard of the way you "enderpearl" but I did not expect to be able to use it! I would love to know the science  
behind this!  
  
Bad pinched a small piece of the fresh dough and rolled it between his palms making a squishy ball.  
He nodded to Skeppy, "Join in".  
Pinch by pinch they rolled the dough, gentleness beamed from their hands like spring sunlight.  
Bad took a big rolling pin (it was too heavy for Skeppy to lift).  
He took the boy's hand offhandedly, shaking off flour and giggles onto the wooden appliance.  
Then with a few creaky rolls, he squished the dough into tiny fluffy sheets.  
  
\- Isn't magic forbidden in human land? Do you know what you’ll face if you break the law?  
  
\- Yes...yet I started on this project only on a scientific level! The...rules...of this forest seem to alter drastically from human... it seems so incredibly curious to me! How can I miss out on learning about this! There is so much  
more to the physics of our world than I imagined!  
  
\- How...come you are so curious?  
  
\- How can I not be?! What do societal laws stand against the unexplored rules of nature!  
  
Antfrost huffed out a smirk. For a moment, their conversation faded, as they sat in comfortable silence, processing.  
  
Bad took a dark spoon, it smelled of rusty metal. With a few shakes, he filled a fluffy sheet with cabbage.  
  
\- Skeppy, here's a little spell, - he whispered as he sprinkled some bittersweet cloves on the dough, - you can put in anything that suits your intention and fold it!  
  
As they were clattering with spoons of cabbage,  
they’d spice in some ginger or cinnamon, maybe a pinch of brown sugar. Bad's green eyes were misty, like raw crystals...behind the shiny iris, he was thinking deeply.  
  
Smiling, Skeppy pulled a dusty hand in his pocket, fumbling and clattering he took out a small pebble - its gentle pinkish color reminded him of a warm sunrise and the blush that would bloom on his cheeks when he hears a  
gentle quivering streamlet of… Halo's laugh. He sneaked it in one of the dough circles, his heart skipped a beat at his tiny crime.  
  
They were ready for folding, the ends of Bad's lips quirked a little.  
He dipped his finger into a jar of shiny oil, made a half-circle on the dough, then swiftly folding it together into a petite little potsticker.  
Skeppy tried to fold one too, but it came out quite... poorly. Bad showed him once more, his crafty hands worked so easily, folding the flour into pretty thingies.  
  
Skeppy tried his best to fold the crystal potsticker and smiled proudly when Bad treated it a little pleasant gasp.  
  
The witcher took out a pan and poured the oil in abundantly, filling it with delicious gloss.  
Gently, the boys stuffed it with potstickers and placed it in the heated oven.  
Skeppy clapped excitedly and Bad poked him at his rib. Ouch!  
  
\- I find Dream's plan of destroying this life...irrational. So many mysteries live here for hundreds of years untouched... I think that studying them might lead to a breakthrough!  
  
\- Are you looking for our help?  
  
\- Well...to be honest, some guidance would be appreciated!  
  
Thunk, thunk... Bad took out two mugs from the cupboard, one was his round mug and the other was a tall one, with tiny triangles - cat ears, and a curly tail for a holder.  
He dabbed a spoon of cocoa into each and filled them to the brim with boiling water, summoning delicious smells.  
  
Skeppy took out a jar with a honeycomb - a heart-shaped waxy sweetness. He cut out a piece smoothly with his knife. ‘Viscous...and rich…’ he dropped in the pieces of sunlight in the mugs and watched them melt.  
  
\- Do you expect us to help you after you’ve tried to murder us?  
  
\- I wasn’t! I can offer you something in return if I have to!  
  
Bad came up to the table, serving hot drinks to Ant and Sam: - Ant, I really should teach you how to treat guests! Have some manners!  
  
Sam clenched timidly in his seat, twitching his small eyes from the steaming mug to the witcher.  
  
\- Treat yourself, Sam! Tell us what kind of help you're looking for. - Bad introduced his guest to his sunny smile. Sam's red cheeks blushed even more. Some excitement quivered in his stomach.  
  
In the water that was left, Halo dropped in a handful of millet. Now, the kitchen sang and chanted with bubbling of boiling water and hissing of hot steam.  
  
Skeppy sunk down into the creaky armchair and faced the guest curiously. He was quite warming up to him...  
  
\- I would love to ask you for mentoring... I've been trying to piece together a theory to explain how...magic works...but I've been unsuccessful so far. - Sam sipped on the sweet drink politely, after a little thinking he said, - If we  
show Dream the importance of this knowledge, I bet we can reassure his...cruel ways.  
  
Skeppy's eyes lit with joy! That was a really nice idea!  
  
Sam looked at him, a teeny bit confused. They locked eyes, observing each other until unexpectedly, the scientist handed the boy his mug.  
  
Skeppy took a sip of the drink...sweet but sour. He smiled into the cup; hot steam caressed his face.  
  
Red snored quietly on Ant's shoulder, even though the cat's ears were twitching with mistrust, he couldn't help but smile...  
Sam observed the hut curiously, while Skeppy slurped his drink, wobbling his leggies playfully.  
  
Quiet...only the rustling of plates was heard...maybe something else.  
  
Bad served the table and Skeppy with steaming plates of dinner. "Enjoy" he whispered, not wanting to clash with the static of smiles that buzzed in the air.  
  
Bad sat down beside Skeppy, leaning back. His legs felt numb.  
  
A weighty bowl was biting with the heat at Skeppy's palms.  
Fried, the potstickers were coated with a crusty gold peel, juicy with oils so tempting... laying lazily on a hill of sodden, steaming millet - a dish so simple, yet so charming.  
  
Skeppy tried the pastry, taking a big rich bite,  
as the crust, softness, and sourness infused in a fresh flavor. It was oily and abundant with some gentle feeling...of home.  
The garnish was soft and pleasantly heavy…it was fun to chew.  
The guests swallowed any kind of quarrel they had, enjoying this miraculous dinner.  
Munching, smacking their smiling lips, and clattering with spoons, they restored joy after a long, tiring day.  
  
Skeppy slid the potsticker he made on Bad's petite floral saucer. It was so big Bad had to slice it up. The witcher`s brows raised as he heard a strange rubbing against his knife.  
  
\- Skeppy, what have I told you about eating crystals?! - he frowned cutely, pinching out the stone with the tips of his fingers.  
  
But as he felt it`s rough edges against his skin...he saw the pink sunrise,  
\- Is t-this a rose quartz? - he stuttered as crimson clouds of blush set on his face.  
His smile was new...shy, gentle, hopeful... he hid the stone in his pocket.  
Skeppy clenched his palms together, hiding his excitement.  
His secret little victory.  
  
\- So, are you and Dream friends? – The hot blush pinched Bad`s cheeks.  
  
Sam smiled lovingly. Slowly, he chewed through the story he liked so much.  
  
\- He is a great supporter... when I came to the capital, I was starving with my tiny engeniering degree, investing all my money into details for machines that are too enthusiastic to work! - he giggled, shaking his head at himself,  
\- but Dream found something in me… and we've been working together for a while...he always said that the future belongs to science. He gave me status I could have never gotten myself...  
  
Bad nodded to himself, swallowing bitterly.  
  
\- Hey, Sam I have a serious question, - Red mumbled softly, artfully, - answer, if you want me to guide you…  
Sam flinched in surprise, nervously biting his lips, imagining how right now, he will be judged for his naïve proposal.  
  
\- What is science?  
  
The room chuckled with quiet laughter, so prettily dancing in the air.  
\- Oh c`mon how am I supposed to work with you if nothing you say makes sense to me, Sam?! - Red whined playfully.  
The boys felt warm and sleepy from the pleasant heaviness in their stomachs.  
Bad collected the dishes into a tower…  
  
If you ever asked them for how long they sat together, enjoying the silence, they would never answer.  
Maybe it was ten minutes, maybe the whole day.  
Skeppy nibbled on his cheek from the inside…were Sam`s words enough?  
  
\- W-well...I’m going to go if it's okay? - Sam awkwardly stood up, nodding swiftly, but gratefully to his new acquaintances.  
  
Slowly everyone pulled up to see off Sam.  
Outside, the forest was windy, howling sadly, quietly.  
The branches creaked and clattered.  
Standing outside, everyone felt a sting of...pity...  
None of them wanted to part.  
  
\- I`m going to theorize for a long time about what kind of magnetism your cooking has, Halo, - Sam giggled smugly.  
  
A few lonely crickets sat in the grass.  
  
Sam stepped away a few times painfully slowly.  
  
\- I guess we could...walk a little bit with you - Ant smiled as he does - cunningly, taking Red's hand and walking up to Sam.  
  
Skeppy and Bad heard their backs loudly laughing in the distance.  
Red`s big palm waved at them.  
  
  
  
After dinner, Skeppy and Bad stayed up late to clean the dishes.  
  
They quietly cackled and chatted as clay dishes clattered against a wooden basin. Oily water.  
  
Sometimes they could hear a raindrop hit the ground.  
  
When they finished, they prepared for sleep,  
A familiar smell of clean bedsheets filled the room,  
as Bad rustled changing them, relighting a distant memory in Skeppy.  
He smiled; he could barely keep his eyes open.  
They decided to read something before bed,  
Crinkling a little with the pages of an old fairytale,  
they sat down together in Bad's armchair, bumping knees.  
  
Skeppy tickled his friend and Bad nuzzled his antlers into him lightheartedly.  
  
The witcher pulled out a torn leather book, he leafed through many tales that curled in cursive.  
Skeppy didn't recognize the handwriting, it wasn't Bad's.  
There was a mint branch peeking out of the book's spine, he pulled at it with his agile little fingers  
and a pretty spread fluttered open its paper wings like a butterfly.  
“The epilogue"  
  
Skeppy ate the mint branch and nodded to his friend, satisfied.  
  
Bad started off in a whisper:  
"Long, long ago,  
In a deep, deep dark of a forest,  
Lay lit a little kingdom,  
Where men and magic lived together"  
  
Skeppy joined in, tracing the words with his finger:  
"They and the magic were aligned,  
Dancing around doing spells with love.  
Gentle intentions for the better of their kind.  
They played mysterious melodies, enchanting themselves with peace.  
But the melodies stopped when a serious Sir,  
Burned down the magic when wishing for more"  
  
Bad hesitated to continue, but he did, barely aloud...scratching:  
  
"The Sir coldly burned with a terrible wish - he wanted more than just peace.  
He saw the little kingdom pathetic, wishing his kind wealth, pride, dominance.  
So, he drank and spilled blood, splashing it onto his kind.  
The peaceful people tore their own hearts apart,  
sealing their magic away for the last time...  
For the better of their kind "  
  
Skeppy felt his head spin and whine…pressing him down with warmth.  
Bad sat deadly quietly, sniffing heavily.  
He was so confused…why did he read this…  
Why did he start from the ending?  
The story was so clear…there were the words he looked for,  
But why couldn’t he understand it?  
  
A hot tear rolled down his face.  
He looked at Bad pitifully, biting his lip.  
  
\- Is this fairytale true? – his big chocolate eyes were so lost…  
  
\- I-I… - Bad`s lips sealed shut…he couldn`t stutter out a word. He reached to wipe the cursed tear, but pulled back.  
Anger teethed at him, slowly boiling on his hands, in his mouth.  
  
\- Skeppy, I-I shouldn't have told you the fairytale... – hot air puffed out of his nostrils, salty tears prickled at porcelain white of his eyes, turning them red, - I shouldn't have let you here...  
I shouldn't have made you wait for us to be taken down. Humans believe magic is harmful, nothing is going to change that! - he spat out bitter words that he buried within, shaking his antlers.  
  
Thud. Thud.  
  
\- Bad... – Skeppy slowly enveloped Bad's pale face with his hot palm, - Don't believe my tears, Bad. - he said sternly,  
his big brown eyes glossed,  
looking into Halo's soul with mesmerizing gentleness.  
  
\- What we know for sure… is that magic is beautiful. You taught me of it…and I treasure each spell...and we're going to teach everyone! Have you heard Sam? We just have to sort everything out,  
honey…  
  
Bad looked at his friend in awe.  
'Honey... what a pretty name'  
It melted, intoxicated Halo's heart with its tenderness.  
He got dizzy.  
The scent of mint on Skeppy's lips...  
Enticing, alluring, charming...  
  
Thud-thud, thud  
  
As if bewitched Halo leaned in,  
softly pressing his lips on the corner of Skeppy's mouth.  
A warm kiss, felt like a little hum...  
like a soft song Halo cuddled to his skin, making it echo through his heart.  
Both of their chests squeezed and tightened pleasantly, like two flames fused together.  
Bad`s antlers touched Skeppy's head for a moment, before pulling back.  
  
Skeppy breathed out shakily.  
He blinked two times before he realized what happened.  
  
Then he circled the ring of his thin arms around Bad's neck and hugged him to his chest, sincerely laughing.  
  
Thud-thud, thud, thud, thud...  
  
His heart was laughing too.  
  
  
  
Smothered in his hard work, Sam hadn't noticed how night came.  
He found his new discoveries so important he rushed back to the kingdom, to his laboratory the same evening and got to research.  
  
His workplace was a small time-ruined library.  
He found it one day, devastated and rotting, and it seemed so pitifully alone that the scientist's heart ordered him to spare it and stay.  
  
Tall bookshelves loomed above him, menacing with millions of mysterious words.  
Sturdy oak arches supported the moldy sealing.  
A door of a tiny round window creaked and whined sadly.  
  
Sam didn't judge a book by its cover,  
as all the readers of this library did when they abandoned it.  
Yes, he had to squint so his face felt a little numb to notice its beauties, but they were there.  
  
Old books stood like veteran soldiers in their leathery covers, painted with gorgeous flowers and plants.  
Behind black filth were hidden breathtaking stories - magical monsters were carved into the ceiling.  
And the window might have seemed tiny, but it could fit in a whole moon.  
Sam loved this place.  
Loved leafing through encyclopedias, loved jingling with flasks, loved crumbling out graphite from pencils, loved spilling out ink.  
  
Tonight, he was losing himself writing out an essay. Long words curled around in his mind, winding him up with curiosity. He was trying to tie them together just like dozens of copper wires on his floor tiles.  
Trying to explain, to tame this wild knowledge...  
  
A metal pen was trying to wriggle out from his sweaty fingers.  
  
His worktable circled the room like a crescent.  
Menacing tall machines and engines grumbled and growled as copper cogwheels slowly turned, powering them day and night.  
Sheets of aluminum, wrenches and screws were scattered under them like crumbs of their bodies.  
A lamp stood there, Sam laid his cheek on it as he was writing, the hot lightbulb was the only thing warming up this place.  
Exactly 19° Celsius.  
  
For a moment, he closed his eyes, remembering of the new friends he made…their carefree smiles…  
Has he ever been to a dinner?  
He`s can`t remember…he has to work a lot to sustain himself in the capital.  
  
The light twitched.  
  
Clicking two times against the tiles, two heels came in.  
Cracked leather boots, a green cloak, a mask.  
  
The tiles creaked under a weight of a man.  
  
\- Admiral Dream! - the scientist winced in surprise, then confused chuckles shook out of his chest - Jeez, don't scare me like that, you know how I am after living among monsters!  
  
\- News on the project? - Dream's voice was a hoarse whisper from behind his mask, he stood still, coldly awaiting.  
  
A hoard of chills ran down Sam's spine when two of their masks met. Dream seemed unusually distant, lacking his usual friendly tone.  
  
\- I-I'm changing the blueprints, Sir! I found out a certain...technique that could replace some details in the machine. - He threw his hand on the long paper sheet hesitantly, - the project is not as futuristic as I thought!  
  
\- What kind of replacements did you do? - The man nodded once, possibly curious to hear of the new invention.  
  
Sam traced the blueprint with his pen, - I think we can get rid of the engine, I believe I can put together one by myself with details we already ordered, - he wanted to warm up his guest with excitement...What happened to him?  
  
Dream took the pen from Sam; his fingers were hot against the scientists.  
Sam breathed out shakily in relief.  
'He's alive...'  
  
\- Then, we just have to wait for them to arrive, right?  
  
They both let the thought sink in the silence.  
Dream scribbled quietly on a scrap paper,  
barely audibly.  
  
\- I guess I'm not alone in wearing the mask now, he-he-he! - Suddenly, Dream's chest shook as he wheezed breathily…frigidly.  
  
Sam's jaw tightened behind the mask with unease.  
He wanted to rip these masks off, to reveal their sweet smiles, white teeth, joyful dimples.  
He wanted to talk to Dream and to listen, he wanted their hearts to spill out with emotions for real!  
But all that spilled out was a creaky whisper, - I wear my mask because I have to protect myself from monsters, - Sam's throat tightened as he asked, - Excuse my curiosity, but...why do you wear yours?  
  
Dream's hand stopped scribbling.  
Apologies already burned on Sam's tongue; how could he be so insensitive?! But the man replied calmly:  
  
\- There is only one use for a mask. - somewhere behind that piece of leather, he smiled, as if teasing Sam's yearnings.  
  
He carefully put down the pen and turned away.  
A big diamond axe shone on his back.  
  
\- I will visit you when the time comes.  
  
Two heels stepped away as if they weren't even here.  
  
Sam looked at the scrap of paper.  
Blue ink cried down a tiny quatrain:  
  
"Black angel of sadness, you’re kissing my ears  
Warmly whispering dreams, as if when we were kids  
But your whispers grew colder as now I am older.  
We are polarized. I'm the south - you are northern."  
  
Sam took the little paper, folded it and put it into the pocket of his velvety suit, right above his heart. It was like the ink spilled right in it, eroding it with pure sadness.  
  
Strangely, he felt relieved.  
  
He found him. Dream was right there, on the four sour lines…  
  
‘Whom he grieves?’  
  
He buttoned up his wrinkled tarpaulin trench coat and left.  
  
The city was sleeping in the mist.  
  
No light shone from the lacy window frames; no voices were heard on the deserted streets.  
  
Only the clicking of Sam`s heels echoed under the endless black sky.  
  
Stone houses fused into each other, flowing from smaller workshops into wealthy mansions with marble statues and fountains.  
Dried flowers slept, rocked slowly by wind in their hanged cribs - flower pots.  
  
Maybe a star glimmered on the copper roofs, maybe not.  
  
Sam moved his lips silently, talking himself out of loneliness.  
  
‘If I knocked on these doors right now, would anyone let me in?’  
  
Maybe yes, maybe not.  
  
His forehead was hot, doubts were boiling his head.  
  
Before, Dream was the only one to recognize his passions, but now he met people who wanted to work with him.  
He encountered a mystery that is beyond the reach of his mind, an unsolvable riddle so important for science.  
Was he doing a bad thing by shifting from the kingdom`s side?  
  
His hands were cold and dusty.  
  
He could still feel a stinge of garlic in his mouth…  
  
‘If I`m making a mistake…then on who’s side?’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> each one of my readers is safe.  
> so mote it be.
> 
> THANK YOU FOR READING!  
> @rottenmysh (twt\ig)
> 
> lol I hope you liked this, my dear readers! I don't remember what I've written this is all feels like a fever dream


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